


Right On My Doorstep

by Lady_Dreaming_Star



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 63,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Dreaming_Star/pseuds/Lady_Dreaming_Star
Summary: Mara KantoBirth Planet: UnknownParents: DeceasedDate of Birth: The Third of Selona, 46 bbyHistory: UnknownLocation: Endor, The Moddell System
Relationships: Mara Kanto(The OC)/CT-7567 l Rex
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm going to say this now so that I don't forget to say it later. I do not own any of the characters or scenes in this book other than my characters and scenes. Thank you to George Lucas for making this amazing world/universe. And with that, I hope you enjoy. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step 1: get up. Step 2: don’t use the Force.

I got out of bed and looked around. Another room I was staying in. Another place I didn’t belong. I looked in the mirror and tried to smile at myself. My blond hair was an uneven pixie cut, my silver eyes shining back at me. I looked at the tattoo on the inside of my left arm, a spiked ring, I still didn’t know how I got it. I looked to my shoulder and groaned, adjusting the bandages on my upper left arm and shoulder blade. The bandages were no longer a clean white, but instead varying shades of dirt. The edges were stretched and curling, always sliding down my arm. I really needed to find some medical supplies soon, my arm was already infected. Thank you General Grievous.

I slipped into a basic short-sleeved shirt, which was brown, and tucked it into my skirt, tan, which split into a kind of train that showed my leggings underneath, brown. I put on my boots and a black belt. I tugged on my shirt a little, trying to hide the bandage, then gave up and slipped into my black bomber jacket, making sure the hood was on the outside. It always bugged me when it wasn’t.

“There is someone at the door,” Mazz Kanta said, coming around the corner, “They were asking for you. Do you know what they want?”

“Tell them I’ll be down in a minute please,” I smiled.

Mazz smiled at me and walked out. I turned around and put my spare change of clothes, some food and water, and some credits into my bag before looking to the bed. My two daggers were laying on the bed and I grabbed them.

They were mini lightsabers, but when they formed, they didn’t look like light. They instead looked more solid and angular, like glass. Six inches long, a slight curve at the tips, and made of old blaster parts. I attached them to my belt and walked downstairs.

There were three key people sitting on the couch, and a few clone troopers surrounding the room. The two guys on the couch had inky hair and brown eyes, sitting with straight backs and eyes forward. One man had more red hair, though. The girl was a togruta, maybe 14 years old, with a blue and white headdress and coppery brown skin.

“Hello,” the man with slightly lighter hair said, “Are you Mara Kanto?”

“Who are you?” I asked, ignoring his question. I remembered him from somewhere, but it wasn’t clicking.

“My name is Obi-Wan Ke--” he started, but then his name clicked.

“No,” I said before running back up the stairs.

I grabbed my bag, swinging it around my shoulders, only for it to overshoot and hit my gut instead.

“You didn’t even know what he was going to ask,” Mazz accused, coming into my room and closing the door behind her.

“I will not be a Jedi,” I said, shrugging the bag around my shoulders the rest of the way and pulling out my hood.

“Why not?” Mazz asked, walking closer and placing her hands on mine, “They have good intentions.”

“I won’t give anyone else false hope,” I sighed, knowing that I just opened a door and I won’t be able to close it.

“The Jedi do not give anyone false hope,” Mazz tried, causing me to laugh without meaning to.

“I’ve always been good at being nobody,” I shrugged, pulling my hood over my head.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Mazz asked as I walked to the window.

“When you’re tortured by a sith since you were 13, you’d be willing to try everything,” I said, watching as people walked by, “But when you contact the Jedi, get a response, and no one comes, that leaves a mark.”

“Why didn’t you say any of this before?” Mazz asked, collapsing onto the bed.

“If you knew which sith it was, you wouldn’t believe me,” I shrugged.

“Are you so sure about that?” Mazz said, tilting her head slightly.

“Dooku,” I shrugged before jumping out the window and slipping underneath the small planter so that Mazz couldn’t see me.

“How much of that did you hear?” Mazz asked.

“All of it,” Obi-Wan Kenobi responded with a crackle in his voice, and I knew that the three Jedi were listening.

“Where is she now?” an unfamiliar voice said. Their voice was slightly deeper and I’m sure it was the other man. Now that I think about it, I think I knew him too.

“She jumped out the window and disappeared,” Mazz said, no doubt shrugging, “If you want to help her, then do it. Don’t leave her in the wind again.”

“We won’t,” Kenobi said, when the transmission cut off.

I started running. I jumped between buildings until I landed in a sizable crowd without a sound.

No one really noticed me land, but the minute I saw a flash of white, I went to the fruit cart. I made it look like I was just looking at fruit, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I needed to move. As soon as the clones passed, I started walking in the opposite direction.

“There!” a trooper shouted from behind me. You’ve got to be joking. I broke off into a run, running down alleys and making turns I didn’t even know that well until I saw a girl shrinking into the shadows. She had brown pigtails and bright blue eyes.

“Hey,” I said, pulling off my hood and crouching, “Where are your parents?”

“I don’t know,” the girl cried, “I’ve seen you around, Mazz called you Mara.”

“Yeah, that’s my name,” I nodded, “What’s yours?”

“Zadra,” the girl smiled, “Mazz said you would protect us.”

“She isn’t wrong,” I smiled, “What are your parents’ names?”

“Carmen and Canyon,” Zadra said, “I have my mom’s hair and my dad’s eyes.”

“Well, let’s find them then,” I smiled, “Do you know where they would be around now?”

“In the market,” Zadra said, crawling out of the shadows.

“Do you want me to carry you?” I asked, holding out my arms.

“Yes,” Zadra said, crawling into my arms.

She wrapped her legs around my hips, her arms around my neck and smiled. I started running back to the market when I heard shouting from around the corner.

“We need to find our daughter!” a man shouted from around the corner.

“We’ll find her Canyon,” I heard Mazz say, trying to calm the man down.

“Please,” another voice said, but by the way it was muffled, I knew it was a clone trooper, “Stay in your designated areas, we will find any missing people and return them to you.”

“Was that your dad?” I asked, looking to Zadra, who nodded in return.

I walked around the corner of the building and started walking to the barrier, only to be stopped and spun around by someone.

“You are supposed to be in there,” the clone said, pointing to the area behind me. He had orange stripes on his armor with a visor over what would be his eyes. I felt like I knew that clone from somewhere, but I couldn’t place it. I was really off my game today, “Hey, I got Mara Kanto over here.”

“Bye,” I smiled before running back to Zadra’s father. Zadra was right, she did have his eyes, “Hold on.”

Zadra clutched to me tighter than before as I pushed out my arms, shoving the clones and ran to Zadra’s father.

“Daddy!” Zadra yelled, jumping down and running into her father’s arms.

“Thank you,” the man smiled, before hugging his daughter.

“Give us Mara Kanto and we won’t kill this woman,” a battle droid yelled, holding a woman in his arms, a blaster pointed at her temple. She looked like Zadra and I instantly knew it was her mom.

“Hey, can you hold onto this for me?” I asked Zadra, who nodded her head with so much force one would think it would fall off. In a second, I had gotten back up and looked out to where the droids were.

“Don’t shoot,” I say, walking out of the crowd and holding my hands above my head. I kept my hands in loose fists, knowing what the droids were about to ask. Screw step 2.

“Open your hands and put them behind your head,” the main droid ordered.

“If you say so,” I shrug before using the Force as I open my hands to flick back the droids. As soon as they were down, I ran to the woman, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I--” the woman started being cut off by blaster fire.

“Take cover,” I told her before pulling out my knives and running at the droids. I started cutting madly until I could get my hands on a pair of blasters, “Much better.”

I fired at the droids, nailing every single one in the head. I looked around and had to refuse the urge to jump. Droid parts surrounded me and there wasn’t any way I would be able to talk my way out of this.

“Well done,” a voice said as someone clapped. A person I wished I never would never see again walked out of the shadows. He had ebony hair and eyes as dark as coals. He was dressed in robes the color of obsidian and I had to resist the urge to run up to him and punch him right then and there, “What, no welcome back?”

“Leave,” I ordered, “Now.”

“Fine,” Cassius said, running at me and igniting his crimson lightsabers.

“Need these,” I said, pulling the lightsabers from the two Jedi’s belts and dropping the blasters in my hands. I ignited them and ignored the fact that the lightsabers were blue, not green. More and more Jedi are becoming combat oriented since the Clone Wars officially started. I lifted them up just in time to hear Cassius’ lightsabers crash with mine. He pushed off of me and growled as I stepped back and realigned myself with him. We charged at each other again. He tried to cut at me from the left and right, but I blocked both, deflected, and spun back. I charged at him again and I cut him in the side, but not in half. Kinda sad.

“I won’t forget this,” Cassius threatened, clutching his side, “Fall back!”

“Roger, roger,” the droids chorused as they marched away.

I spun around, made eye contact with everyone, threw the lightsabers back at the Jedi, and started running from them. Again. Before I could forget, I pulled my bag to me with the force and kept running. I made a few turns before bursting through a door and right into a table. Trying to ignore the pain in my gut, I closed the door and crouched under the window so they couldn’t see me.

“Who are you?” a man asked, coming around the corner. He was dressed in an all black… sweatsuit? He had blonde hair, but it was buzz cut short. He had a blaster in each hand and I raised my hands, trying to figure out where I had seen him or someone like him.

“Hey, I won't hurt you,” I said, “So if you could put your blasters down, that would be great.”

“Who are you?” the man repeated.

“My name is Raven and you can put that down now,” I shrugged. When I lived on Tatooine, Before, I went by Raven. Then people learned more about what I could do and it started causing problems.

“I heard blaster shots,” the man said, lowering his blasters, “What’s going on?”

“You’re not from around here, are you?” I laughed when I was met with a shake of his head, “This has been sort of neutral ground for years. But then the Jedi came with their clones and attracted the Seps attention. And the fact that a multitude of people want some people here dead doesn’t really help. Half the population at least is people that are Force Sensitive and have targets on their backs. This was supposed to be a place where you could be safe, the original Jedi swore, along with the Sith, to not make this place a war zone. Funny that the Jedi caused the treaty to break. You know, through everything I just told you, I never got your name.”

“I’m--” the man started, but he was cut off by a voice coming from his pocket.

“Rex,” the voice of one of the Jedi said, “I regret what I said earlier. Get out from undercover. We lost Kanto again and we could really use your backup.”

“Now that just proves I’m an idiot,” I said before walking to the door.

“What?” Rex said like the voice of a Jedi didn’t just come from his pocket.

“REX!” the Jedi said again, though with far more urgency, “COME IN!”

“You’re a clone and you apparently went undercover as someone that isolates themselves,” I said before walking out the door. I looked to my right and there was Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Don’t even try it, Kenobi.”

“Okay,” the second Jedi said, coming up behind me and knocking me unconscious.

**PoV: Captain Rex**

“Don’t even try it, Kenobi,” Raven growled before General Skywalker came up on her other side and knocked her out. I dove for her, sliding on my knees so I caught her and she slumped in my arms. We didn’t need a concussion to deal with too.

“Sir,” I started, cautious and getting back up, Raven in my arms, “With all do respect, why did you do that?”

“She doesn’t trust us,” he stated simply.

“That doesn’t mean you can make her pass out,” General Kenobi butted in.

“What did you do to her?” General Skywalker said in response, “She said that the Jedi gave her false hope, and it doesn’t help your case that she said ‘no’ as soon as she heard your name.”

“I don’t know,” General Kenobi said.

“I say we take her straight to the temple and talk to her,” General Skywalker suggested.

“This was supposed to be a recruitment, not a battle,” General Kenobi said.

“What even happened out there?” I asked.

“An army of clankers came, and she took them all out,” Cody came in, “I’m just lucky I got my blasters back. She used the Force and took them, I don’t think she realized that they were mine.”

“And our lightsabers as well,” General Kenobi said, “We need to speak to the Jedi council.”

“Fine, but until then, we need to keep her somewhere,” General Skywalker groaned.

“How about the Final Test?” Cody suggested.

“No, absolutely not,” I tried, “She said that we were the reason the war came here, that if the Jedi hadn’t come with us in tow, then the Seps wouldn’t have come.”

“I agree with Cody,” General Skywalker stepped forward.

“We need to know how strong she is,” General Kenobi thought aloud, “the Final Test would be the best idea.”

”Fine,” I mumbled, making sure the Generals couldn’t hear me.


	2. Chapter 2

**PoV: Mara Kanto**

_Is she the one? Yes. Kill them. The boy too. He isn’t needed._ No. No. No. 

“NO!” I screamed, shooting up, only to feel a pain biting into my wrists. I looked down and saw I was chained to a steel table. I looked around and tried not to groan. There was nothing else other than a second table with a set of keys on it. The walls looked like solid steel, which wasn’t helping. I tried to use the Force, but I just couldn’t. Where was I?

I started pulling on the chains, then one of them, the one on the right, started to splinter. I wrapped that chain around my wrist and started pulling, leaning until the chain snapped and I rolled-- well, more like fell-- off the table. My left arm caught on the table and I’m pretty sure I just dislocated my shoulder. Great. 

I pulled myself back up onto the table and started feeling around my shoulder. Lucky me, it was the same one that was infected. Definitely dislocated.

I leaned my arm on the table, specifically on my elbow, and pulled my arm to the right.

“That was fun,” I hissed through gritted teeth, hearing my shoulder pop back into place. To say the least, it hurt like crazy. 

The table with the key was on my left side when I was on the table, so I climbed off the table and tried to reach for the key, but my arm was hurting too much which only added to the fact that the table was just out of reach. 

I sank to the floor and looked at the table. It wasn’t blotted to the floor like my table was, so I think I had an idea. I used my feet to pull off my boots to start, I worked better without them. If anyone was watching this, they would definitely think I was crazy. I used my right arm to pull myself off the floor and I launched myself forward. My ankles wrapped around the table and I smirked, pulling the table to me. The keys, however, kept moving. I somehow managed to unhook my feet in time to catch the keys on one of my feet as they fell off the table. 

I pulled the keys off of my feet, undid the cuffs on my hands and got up. 

“Okay,” I said to myself, “Now where am I?” 

“Walk,” a voice said and I spun around. I watched my parents walk into the room with my brother and his best friend, Anakin Skywalker, walk into the room. Behind them was Dooku, Asajj Ventress, and Cassius. 

“Come with us, and we might not kill your family,” Dooku said, and this time I couldn’t fight as strong. I knew what was going to happen, so I just said nothing. But I did something I didn’t plan on. 

“Anakin isn’t related to me,” I said, just like last time, despite myself, “Let him go. And then, I’m yours. And I don’t break my word.” 

“Raven,” Dad said, “Look at me. Your name was changed for a reason. Just find it. Because I know that through all of this, you will soar.”

Then he was stabbed by Cassius and Mom started to scream. 

“GO RAVEN! GO!” she screamed, causing her to be killed as well. 

“Mom! Dad!” Reese yelled, “No.” 

“Come to think of it, there isn’t any reason to keep the brother around, he would only pull her back,” Ventress said before stabbing Reese. 

“REESE!” I screamed, before realizing something. Ventress didn’t stab Reese, she decapitated him, “You aren’t real.” 

“What was that?” Dooku said, walking up to me. 

“You. Aren’t. Real,” I said, spitting every word at him. 

Then right before my eyes, Dooku, his apprentices, the bodies, and Anakin all pixelated away. I heard a sort of machine and I spun around to see a staircase coming out of the wall. They lead to a doorway, which was next to a one way glass viewing. How did I not see that before? 

I ran up the stairs and down a hall, but stopped at the door when I heard arguing on the other side. 

“What. Was. That?” I heard Rex say. I was right, he was a trooper. 

“The reason I sent Anakin out, that was,” someone responded. Dooku said his Jedi master spoke backwards, so I think he was Yoda. 

“Who should tell Anakin?” Kenobi asked. 

“Would that really be the smartest move Master Kenobi?” a girl asked, maybe the Togruta. 

“What do you mean Ahsoka?” Kenobi responded. 

“Shouldn’t she be the one to tell Anakin? Not someone else,” Ahsoka reasoned. 

“Wait a minute,” Rex said, and I heard a scramble of footsteps, “Where’d she go?” 

“Right here,” I answered, walking into the room.

The togruta, Ahsoka, was there, along with Kenobi in the front. There were two troopers almost against the glass, one being Rex. Rex was in white armor with blue stripes and the helmet he was holding in his arms had clusters of tally marks on it. And they also had jaig eyes on the forehead. Jaig Eyes. There was a dark Kama around his waist, so he’s an ARC. I had the urge to ask him about Ruby and Quartz, but I knew that wouldn’t bode well. The other one was the one that grabbed me from back in the city, his helmet gave it away. He was also holding his helmet under his arm, so I could see his face. He really did look like Jango Fett. Other than the scar around his left eye, at least. There was also a small man, with wrinkles all over him, long pointy ears and he was green. He had to be Yoda. 

“What?” I shrugged, “Was I not supposed to get past the table or something?” 

“No,” Kenobi shook his head, “It’s just that no clone has ever gotten out of there that fast before, including the ARC troopers.” 

“Okay,” I shrugged, “Yoda said that Anakin was here, was he the one who knocked me out?” 

“Why?” the trooper in orange asked. 

“Because if he did, I won the bet,” I smiled. 

“Know I was Yoda, how did you?” Yoda asked, walking to me.

“Dooku rants about you a lot,” I shrugged, “Am I in the Jedi Temple?” 

“Who’s asking?” the orange clone asked, glaring at me. 

“The girl that fought her way out of Dooku’s base after being tortured for twelve hours,” I glared back, “Short version, the girl you saw fighting Cassius.” 

“Who’s Cassius?” Ahsoka asked, stepping forward. 

“One of Dooku’s apprentices,” I practically growled. I still wanted to punch him.

“Isn’t Asajj Ventress his apprentice?” Kenobi asked and I had to resist the urge to punch him instead. 

“Didn’t I contact you four years ago asking for help?” I asked in return, “Oh, right. I changed my name back from Raven, you might know me as that.” 

“That’s why,” Kenobi mumbled to himself. 

“Yeah, makes a lot more sense now, doesn’t it?” I ask, putting all of the fight I could in my voice. 

“Someone want to explain what’s going on?” Rex asked, stepping forward, causing me to laugh. 

“You didn’t even tell them, did you?” I asked, “Can the console go to different days throughout my memories?” 

“Why?” Orange asked. That was the trooper’s new name until I learned his actual one.

“Because I don’t think Kenobi is going to tell you,” I shrugged. 

Orange nodded and I walked over and typed in the date and time. 

We were surrounded by blue pixels and I saw myself. I was 19 then. I should have been with my friends, having fun, but no. All the memories were coming back to me. 

~*4 years ago*~

_I looked over my head and sighed. Ventress and Casius weren’t anywhere, probably making out somewhere. Their deal, not mine. I turned back to what I was doing. Making a holocom from scratch was hard enough, but having to look over your shoulder every few seconds wasn’t really helping. I brushed the final two wires, then bound them together._

_“Please work,” I mumbled to myself, then saw a flash of blue. It looked like a person, “Hello?”_

_“Who is this?” a man said. He had a reddish beard and his hair was all swept to one side._

_“My name is Raven,” I started, going as fast as I could while still making sense, “I’ve been kidnapped by Count Dooku and have been forced to train under him for the past six years. I need help. Can you get in contact with the Jedi council?”_

_“I am Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Obi-Wan smiled at me, “I’ll make sure that I can help you.”_

_~*three months later*~_

_“Where are you?” I mumbled to myself as I turned my holocom back on, only to find blue nothingness._

_“What are you doing?” Dooku asked, coming up behind me._

_“Nothing,” I said, shoving the holocom under my mattress._

_“I don’t believe you,” Dooku said before lifting the mattress to find the holocom, “You insolent child.”_

_The electricity flew from his hands and crawled through my body. I was being burned again and again, the pain never relenting._

_“The Jedi will never come for you,” Dooku scoffed, “But of course you already realized this when Obi-Wan Kenobi didn’t respond.”_

_I looked up at him in what I thought to be shock and he only laughed, the lightning not stopping._

_“I knew you were talking to a Jedi, but Kenobi,” Dooku scoffed, stopping the lightning, “Never put your faith in the Jedi, they will be the death of you. They spread false hope to the galaxy and keep moving, never caring about the consequences. But you know this now, don’t you? You know better now, don’t you?”_

_“I know better,” I responded, my eyes never leaving the floor._

~*Present time*~

“Wow,” Rex whispered. 

“That’s one word for it,” I chuckled. 

“I’m so sorry,” Kenobi tried. 

“You didn’t respond, not once,” I said, stubborn tears coming to my eyes, “That was the first and only time I had ever spoken to you, until you came to Endor.” 

“Wait, you must,” Yoda said, walking in front of me when I tried to leave. For such small legs, he was really fast, “Go, you can not.” 

“With all do respect,” I said, “With everything that has happened to me, I can’t be a Jedi.” 

“No,” Yoda responded, refusing to move, “A great teacher, pain is. Stay.” 

“...One week,” I said, “But I get to see Anakin.” 

“Yes,” Yoda said, “Show you around, Ahsoka will. Rex and Cody too.” 

“So that’s his name,” I mumbled to myself, making Ahsoka laugh next to me. 

“You pick things up fast,” Ahsoka smiled. 

“Among other things,” I smiled back. 

“Your Master, Obi-Wan will be,” Yoda said, which shocked me to my very bone. 

“Yes, Master Yoda,” I tried. 

“Strong, you are,” Yoda smiled, “Stronger than most.” 

“Come on,” Ahsoka smiled, tugging my arm, “I’ll show you where everything is before we head to the Mess for lunch.” 

“Okay,” I smiled. But I wasn’t. I had shown a small piece of what happened to me and they were all treating me like I was fragile, like I could shatter at any second into millions of pieces. They might not be trying to show it, but if you looked close enough, you could see exactly what a person was thinking. And no matter how strong that person was, I could always tell. It was a talent that I knew how to use for years. A talent that I should have been using when my family died. Before. 

**PoV: Captain Rex**

“Cody?” I asked as we started trailing behind the commander, “Is it just me, or do you feel like you’ve met Mara before?” 

“I was wondering the same thing,” Cody nodded, putting his helmet back on, “She’ll tell us when she’s ready, if we did ever meet.” 

“Yeah,” I nodded in return, putting my helmet back on.


	3. Chapter 3

**PoV: Mara Kanto**

“There isn’t much down this hall,” Ahsoka said, gesturing to the hall we were walking through, Rex and Cody were a respectable distance behind us, “Youngling classrooms and dorms. Ours are another hall down.” 

“Just for the sake of things,” I said, wording what I said carefully, “Where’s the medic?” 

“Down here,” Ahsoka said, gesturing for me to follow her. We turned to another hall and I looked around, “We got lucky, our rooms are right next to the medic.” 

“Thanks,” I smiled. I could fix my arm. But none of them could know. They would only protect me, and worry, even more. Or at least try to.

“And this is your room,” Ahsoka smiled, gesturing to the room in front of me. My spare change of clothes rested on a shelf, as well as my knives. There was a mat in the corner for meditation and another mattress under a window. I walked to the window and looked outside to see a beautiful garden. A wisteria was moving in the soft breeze, the lavender flowers almost like stars and I smiled. I couldn’t even remember seeing a flower before, let alone a full tree of them. I felt something I hadn’t felt in years. Calm, at peace, safe.

I looked back to where Ahsoka was, and saw that Rex and Cody were in my room too. Their helmets were off and I could tell that they had some sort of emotion, but they were mixed with so many others that I couldn’t tell what they were. I looked back to the wisteria and smiled. Maybe I could. Maybe I could settle down, be safe. 

“Want to race to the Mess Hall?” I asked, looking at Ahsoka. 

“You need to get past those two grumps first,” Ahsoka smiled, pointing behind her to where Rex and Cody were. 

“Any way to make them smile,” I said before leaning closer and whispering in her ear, “Or to make them laugh hysterically.” 

“The crook of their neck,” Ahsoka whispered back, a smirk creeping onto her face. 

“When?” I asked. 

“Now!” Ahsoka shouted, making Cody and Rex jump. We rushed them, tickling them in the crooks of their necks. Ahsoka was practically on top of Cody and I Rex. They let out larger than life belly laughs and Ahsoka and I started to run. 

“To the Mess!” I laughed. 

“You two are dead!” I heard Rex from down the hall. 

“Come on,” Ahsoka laughed as we turned the corner and started sprinting. 

We had to make a few dodges because people were everywhere and it was only a matter of time before someone got run over. 

“Keep… going,” Ahsoka wheezed out, slowing down. 

“No no no, you can keep going,” I said, not even out of breath. 

“You can… run… so do… it…” Ahsoka wheezed, “I’ll… hold them… off.” 

“Okay,” I nodded, sprinting away as fast as I could. 

I spared a glance behind me and laughed. Rex was in front of Cody, who was carrying Ahsoka by her knees. And to say the least, Ahsoka didn’t look happy. I turned the corner and someone came up next to me. 

“And why are you running exactly?” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“Ahsoka and I tickled Rex and Cody,” I said quickly. I whipped my head over my shoulder just in time to see Rex and Cody turning the corner. 

“Is Cody carrying Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan asked, astounded. 

“Yes, Master,” I nodded. 

I looked back and saw Rex talking into a holocom. I didn’t catch much of what he said, but ‘backup’ was definitely in there. 

“Crud,” I whispered to myself. 

“I need to go, but this was fun,” Obi-Wan smiled before veering away. 

“Thank you Master,” I nodded. Maybe we would gain at least a mutual friendship. 

I turned a corner and two clones were at the end of the hall. One of them had a tattoo of a five on his forehead and the other one had a blue handprint on his armor. Haven’t I seen them at some point too? I looked back and I could see that Rex was smirking. Backup. 

I looked around the walls and noticed the pillars on the walls. This could work. I sprinted at the two clones faster than I originally was, to the point where my legs felt like lead. 

“What the--” the clone with the five said. 

Then last minute, I adjusted where I was running and I ran up the pillar and backflipped over them. I landed with my feet solid on the ground and kept running. I looked behind me and saw all four of the clones with their mouths open in shock and awe. I gave them the cheesiest of smiles and kept running. 

I turned the corner and ran straight into the Mess. 

“I could swear it was further down the hall,” I thought aloud. I turned around just in time to have Rex crash right into me, “Are you half brick wall or something?” 

We rolled on the floor until my temple hit the edge of one of the chairs, Rex on top of me. My eyes scanned the room and sure enough, everyone was staring at us. 

“No, but I have a plan,” Rex smiled, and the next thing I know, he was tickling me, “Knee caps, huh?” 

“You-- HAHAHA-- jerk--HAHAHAHAHA,” I said through my laughs. I knew that I was kicking him, but the fact that there wasn’t any real power behind them only made Rex laugh too. 

“Mister Rex, would you kindly get off of Master Mara?” 3PO asked from behind me. 

Rex paused for a second, “You know this droid?” 

“Yup,” I said, popping the ‘p’. 

“You got lucky,” Rex smiled, helping me up. He punched my left shoulder in a teasing way, I knew that, but I still had to bite my tongue to keep from flinching. 

“Now you know the price of messing with any of the clones,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“Yes, Master,” I smiled at him, “Did I take the long way or something?” 

“More like the very long way,” Ahsoka smiled as Cody put her down. 

“I don’t think we’ve met,” the clone with the five said, “I’m Fives.” 

“And I’m Echo,” the clone with the handprint said, offering his hand to me. 

“I’m Mara,” I smiled, shaking his hand. Their names came to me like a slap to the face. Cutup and Heavy. ‘Say you’re sorry’ a part of me screamed. ‘They didn’t even know you were there’ the other side warred, ‘there isn’t any point.’ I saw them on Rishi. And I couldn’t save them. 

“Come on R2,” a guy said, being pushed by R2, “What is so important?” 

“Crash?” I asked, looking at him, “Please tell me it’s you Ani, or I look like a total idiot right now.” 

“Raven?” he asked, and I nodded, “Ohmygosh.” 

He ran at me, swallowing me up in the biggest hug. I didn’t even realize I was crying until the hot tears were running down my face. 

“What happened?” Anakin asked, pulling away. 

I couldn’t help myself, “I won the bet.” 

“You know what I meant,” Anakin laughed, shaking his head. 

“The normal stuff,” I shrugged, “He wanted me on the dark side, I refused.” 

“So I just need to thank your stubbornness,” he smiled. 

“Wait,” Ahsoka stepped in, “So why is Skyguy’s nickname also Crash?” 

“Don’t you dare tell her,” Anakin glared, which only made me want to tell her more. 

“Oh this will be fun,” I smiled, “But can we get something to eat first, I’m starving.” 

“Anything to keep you from talking,” Anakin laughed. 

“Eh,” I shrugged, “You’re only avoiding the inevitable.” 

“General Windu,” Rex said, standing at attention, all of the laughing from a few seconds ago gone from his face. 

“Captain Rex,” Windu nodded. He had a bald head with dark skin and even darker eyes, “I don’t think you’ve met my padawan. This is Colin Morris.” 

“Knew you were too stubborn to die,” I smirked to myself, “Fruitbat.” 


	4. Chapter 4

Colin looked at me and smiled. He had chocolate eyes, pale skin and hair that could only be described as sand. Before Dooku came, we were a part of a group of performers with eight other people. We called ourselves Fugitives. Five of us-- Carson, Riley, Sam, Jules, and Max-- were faulty clones, three of us-- Ral, Cam, and Sean-- were ex-bounty hunters. Colin and I were both kidnapped by Dooku and refused to become his apprentices. Though he was kidnapped when he was 22 and I was when I was 9. He had the hearing of a bat, so I knew that he heard me. He also loved fruit, hence the other part of his nickname. 

“Right back at you,” he smiled before sprinting at me and engulfing me in yet another hug. I rested my head on his chest and looked up at him, his braid trying to make its way into my eyes. 

“Is it just me, or is everyone taller than me?” I smiled. 

“Of course that’s your main concern,” Colin laughed, “What happened, you jumped?” 

“I held them off while you got away,” I shrugged. 

“The deal was we would leave together,” Colin groaned, “Not that you would go through more torture so that I could get away.” 

“Have you met me?” I smiled, stepping away, “So did the Jedi find you or did you find them?” 

“I crashed on the upper levels of the city, which is another reason why you should have stayed,” he glared. 

“Eh, not my fault you couldn’t remember how to fly a fighter,” I shrugged, picking up a meiloorun. 

“Oh shut it,” he smiled. 

I looked around the room and tried not to laugh, “Everyone’s still staring at us.” 

In that second, all of the clones went back to what they were doing. Colin and I walked over to a nearby table and sat down. A second later, Master Windu, Kenobi, Ahsoka, Anakin, Rex, Cody, Echo, and Fives sat down with us. 

“What battalion are you guys?” Colin asked. 

“212th and 501st,” Rex responded. Colin and I exchanged a quick glance. Carson, Riley, Sam, Jules, and Max would have been in those battalions. 

“Everything good?” Cody asked. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Colin smiled. He was way better at hiding things than me. It was like a superpower for him or something.

I felt something trickling down my arm. I lifted my left sleeve and tried not to groan. A thin line of red was traveling down my arm and it wouldn’t be long before someone noticed. 

“Colin, can we talk somewhere else?” I whispered. 

Colin nodded and we got up. 

“We’ll be back,” I smiled. I started curling my hand and pulling it into my sleeve. I could feel the blood starting to pool in my hand. We needed to get out of here. 

“Can I come with you?” Ahsoka asked, getting up. 

“Sorry,” I grimaced, “We’ll be back, promise.” 

“Okay,” Ahsoka smiled. 

“Come on,” I said, grabbing Colin’s arm and guiding him out of the cafeteria. 

We turned down a few halls and got to the medic. I opened the door, taking off my jacket and revealing that my arm was at least half covered in blood. 

“What happened?” Colin asked, gritting his teeth and grabbing some bandages as I grabbed some bowls and a syringe, “And don’t give me a half truth.” 

“When I escaped, a bomb went off,” I said, starting to pull off my shirt. I cried out slightly at the pain in my arm and Colin pulled it off the rest of the way, leaving me in a sports bra and a bandage that was doing a terrible job at keeping me from bleeding, “There’s shrapnel in my arm. I couldn’t take it out at all in the three days since I got out. I was always on the move. There also might be a piece of Grievous in there.” 

“And Rex hit your shoulder,” Colin realized, unwrapping the bandages, “Did you dislocate it too?” 

“That was this morning,” I sighed, feeling the pressure on my arm being released, “I was put in the Final Test. Don’t ask.” 

“The swelling is all puss, but it’s good that you know how to relocate shoulders by now. And we are talking about you taking on the General,” Colin said, picking up the syringe, “This’ll hurt.” 

He placed the syringe in my arm and I clutched the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. After three more rounds of that, all of the puss was out and it wasn’t nearly as swollen. The blood had decided to stop coming out of me, so my arm now had a dry and cracked layer that looked like clay. 

“You’ve been having the memory flashes,” Colin frowned, “I can tell. Want to talk about them?” 

“Just people I couldn’t save,” I shrugged, “Nothing important.” 

Colin picked up a pair of tweezers and looked at me. 

“Just tell me who it was this time,” Colin tried. I knew he wouldn’t stop, so I figured what the hell. 

“Heavy, Cutup, Ruby, and Quartz,” I frowned, “Now please just drop it.”

“I might have had the computer scan you for the shrapnel. Lucky you, it’s not embedded in anything important, but it will hurt to take it out. Seven pieces in total. And one of Grievous’ fingers, too.” 

“Okay,” I said, looking to the light above me, “Just do it.” 

I felt the tweezers go into my arm and heard the door open. Colin stopped and looked at me. ‘Keep going’ I mouthed at him as he pulled a piece out that was the size of my fingernail and a robotic finger with it. I turned my left arm slightly so that if anyone came around the corner, they wouldn’t see my tattoo. 

“Commanders and Captains first,” Anakin said from around the shelf. I squeezed my hand into a ball as another two pieces were pulled out. 

“Yes sir,” I heard Cody respond. I somehow kept from hissing as another three pieces were pulled out. 

“Last one,” Colin said, pulling on a piece of shrapnel that was the size of my thumb. 

“Alcohol,” I groaned, making Colin laugh, “For sterilizing, not drinking.” 

“It’ll hurt,” he said, picking up the bottle, “you sure?” 

“Just get it done,” I said, already biting my tongue. 

“What’s going-- bye,” Rex started as he walked around the corner, only to turn around and start walking away. 

“Does the great Captain Rex have a weakness after all?” Echo and Fives laughed.

“What happened, you’re bright red,” Ahsoka laughed.

“I happe--” I shouted, only to start holding the table like it was a lifeline as Colin poured the alcohol over my arm. 

“Wait,” Colin yelled in the direction of the shelf, still pouring as he did, “How red is Rex?” 

“Don’t answer that,” Rex grumbled. 

“Damn girl, you know how to mess with a man,” Colin laughed, putting down the bottle and looking for a needle and thread. 

“I’m just sitting here,” I smiled. 

“Exactly,” Colin smiled, walking back to me. 

“Okay,” Ahsoka said, turning the corner, “This makes much more sense now.” 

“Of course it does,” I laughed, trying to ignore the needle going in and out of my skin. 

“While you’re here, could you get some more rubbing alcohol,” Colin instructed, his eyes never leaving my arm, “Done! But that doesn’t mean you can move your arm yet.” 

“You’re cruel,” I laughed. A second later, a swab was on my arm and my arm once again felt like it was on fire. 

“Is it safe?” Anakin asked, still behind the shelf. 

“Who else is back there?” I smiled. 

“Masters Kenobi and Windu, Skyguy, Rex, Cody, Fives, and Echo,” Ahsoka smiled. 

“I know Crash will be fine, but it depends on the other’s comfort zones,” I smiled, “Crash! It’s what I was wearing when you got your name.” 

“Oh, okay,” Anakin smiled, walking around the corner, “The way Rex reacted had me scared that he walked in on something worse.” 

“I would have panicked if that happened,” I smiled. 

“Seriously,” Ahsoka smiled, “How is ‘Crash’ a nickname for him?” 

“Oh,” I smiled, “The first time he got into a pod racer, he drove it straight into a wall.” 

“You’re joking,” Ahsoka laughed along with a few laughs behind the shelf. 

“Nope,” I smiled, “Does he still have that talent?” 

“Definitely,” Master Kenobi said, coming out from behind the shelf, “Come on, it’s nothing that you haven’t seen before.” 

Master Windu, Echo, Fives, Cody, and Rex all came out from behind the shelf and I had to bite back a laugh. All of the troopers had their eyes darting everywhere around the room other than where I was. 

“You messed with them more than I thought,” Colin laughed, grabbing some bandages, “Change these twice daily and come to me if someone else hits your shoulder.” 

“Wait, what?” Rex said, looking at Colin, “When did it start bleeding?”

“Before I sat down,” I shrugged. I looked at Rex and could tell that he put the pieces together, “Don’t blame yourself, you didn’t know.” 

“I should have guessed,” Rex whispered. 

“What did I just say?” I laughed. 

“She’s right Rex,” Ahsoka smiled. 

“Are there any other injuries that we should know about?” Obi Wan asked, stepping forward. 

“No,” I answered at the same time Colin said, “Yes.”

“You’re a jerk,” I grumbled. 

“Just doing my job,” Colin smiled, “Which has changed from a medic to making sure you stay alive and don’t sacrifice yourself. Again.”

“Then you really don’t want to have a job review,” I smiled. 

“I’m serious. Also, do they know about the dislocated shoulder problem? How did you even dislocate it to begin with?” Colin asked, raising a brow. 

“Any of you answer that and there will be problems,” I glared, mainly at Rex, Cody, and Ahsoka. 

“She fell off of a table,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“And that’s why you aren’t allowed to have nice things,” Colin laughed. 

“To be fair, I was chained to said table,” I laughed.

“Ah, Final Test,” Colin asked, “What’d you see?” 

“The end of Before,” I shrugged. 

“Sorry,” Colin said, eyes trained on his shoes, “I shouldn’t have asked.” 

“It’s fine,” I shrugged, “Any good news?” 

“Outcasts are here,” Colin smiled, “Not messing with you, promise.” 


	5. Chapter 5

“Wait, they’re here?” I asked, walking out of the medic with Colin as I pulled my jacket back on. At the moment, everyone thought we were crazy. 

“Yeah,” Colin smiled, “To say the least, they think that you’re dead.” 

“Entirely your fault,” I smiled back. 

“Did we miss something?” Rex asked, running in front of us, “Who are ‘Outcasts’?” 

“Outcasts,” Colin and I smiled. 

“Sir, there are eight people outside,” a clone said, walking up to Rex, “They claim that they know Colin Morris and Mara Kanto.” 

“They’re okay,” I smiled. 

“And who are you?” the clone asked, no doubt glaring at me through his helmet.

“I’m Mara Kanto and this is Colin Morris,” I responded. 

“They’re good,” Colin smiled, “Also, we are Master Kenobi and Windu’s Padawan's sooo…” 

“I have them come up here,” the clone said. 

“Thank you,” I smiled. As soon as the clone walked away I turned on Colin, “Did you really need to pull that card?” 

“Yes, yes I did,” Colin smiled cheekily at me, “And I learned from the best.” 

“Oh shut it,” I smiled. 

“Here they--” the clone started, only to be shoved out of the way. 

“You’re alive,” Jules laughed as I was engulfed in the biggest group hug known to man. 

Jules was a head shorter than me with dark hair to her hips and the kindest smile known to man. Max was a head and a half taller than me with a facial structure almost identical to the clones, despite the fact that he dyed his hair a pale red that had an orange hue. Carson had a scar on the right side of his face due to a skirmish he got into on Tatooine. He had a kind personality, and I was also pretty sure he was force sensitive. Sam was my height with glasses like Mazz’s and he had that deminor too. His mop of brown hair got him the nickname of Janitor, don’t ask. Riley had flowing waterfalls of brown wavy hair that had to be braided so that they didn’t hit the floor. She was sarcastic and funny, but she tended to be more stubborn than most. 

“Out of the way Badass Batch,” Ral laughed, “It’s the Ex’s turn.” 

“That sounds so wrong without context,” I laughed, taking a step back and looking at Rex’s face, which only made me laugh harder.

Ral had the loudest and proudest personality I have ever seen with long gold hair that made him seem like he was half god. Cam and Sean were kind and compassionate to the point where I knew for a fact that either of those twins would jump in front of a blaster for any of us. Their chocolate skin and identical personas were both easy and difficult to pull out of a crowd. 

“Oh, excuse him,” Cam laughed, “He meant ex-bounty hunters.” 

“You get a hug,” I smiled. 

“Fun fact,” Colin smirked, “The Stupid Ways to Injure Yourself list needs to be updated.” 

“Really,” Carson smiled, “What’d Mara do?” 

“Did she run into a wall or something?” Riley smirked. 

“Does her nose look broken to you?” Ral laughed. 

“Any of you say a thing and there will be problems,” I spun, looking back at the clones and Jedis that were just watching. 

“She fell off a table,” Rex smirked. 

“I was handcuffed to it,” I laughed. 

“Didn’t you say you were chained to it?” Ahsoka laughed. 

“You might want to get your story straight if you plan on saying that,” Anakin joined in. 

“You are all jerks,” I groaned, trying not to laugh, “Anyway, this is Sam, Riley, Carson, Max, Jules, Ral, Cam, and Sean.” 

“Nice to meet you all, I’m Anakin,” Anakin smiled. 

“Before any of you say a thing, lay off, he was five and very good at crashing his pod racer,” I smiled, turning back to the Outcasts. 

“Hey Lower Case,” Max laughed, “Glad to see we’re so memorable.” 

“Giant?” Anakin asked, tilting his head though he already knew the answer, “I am an idiot.” 

“Welcome to the club,” I laughed, turning to everyone else, “Ani mainly knew everyone here by our nickname.” 

“That oddly makes sense,” Cody laughed. 

“Max, is it?” Obi-Wan asked, getting a nod in response, “Are you by any chance a clone?” 

“Who’s asking?” Riley asked, stepping forward. 

“I’m just curious, he looked like he was a clone,” Obi-Wan responded, his hands up in surrender. 

“Are you a deserter?” Cody asked, to which I glared in response, “What, it’s a ligament question.”

“If by deserter you mean dumped on Tatooine because I was a part of a bad batch of clones, then yes, yes I am,” Max shot back. 

“Where are the others then?” Rex asked, glaring at them. There wasn’t anything I could do to calm them down, so I just let them fight it out. 

“We are the others,” Riley said, stepping forward. In a second, Jules, Sam, and Carson followed suit, “What, were you expecting us to be all guys?” 

“Well--” Cody started, but I was starting to have enough. 

“Cody, if you value the location of your limbs, you would stop,” I said nonchalantly, looking out the window. 

“Are you seriously siding with them?” Max growled, pulling me away from the window. 

“What’re you going to do to me?” I asked, making him pause, “After everything I’ve been through, there is  _ nothing  _ that I haven’t seen. That hasn’t happened to me. So tell me, what were you planning on doing?” 

“I-- I don’t,” Max stuttered, “I didn’t mean to do that.” 

“I know,” I shrugged, “I also know that pure bluntness is the way to get you to think before you act. And you know that I have never been one to take sides. Only people I trust and people I don’t.” 

“What got that into your head?” Anakin asked, getting an elbow into the side via Obi-Wan. 

“There isn’t any ‘good’ or ‘bad’,” I said, putting good and bad into air quotes, “It’s all based on your opinions and perspectives.” 

“Where did that come from?” Colin smirked. 

“It’s always been there,” I smiled, “You’ve just never heard me say it.” 

“If I may say something,” Master Windu said, walking forward, “This would go much faster if you would just give us the information that we need. Then you can leave.” 

“I’m guessing you think I’m a bit old for a Padawan and you think that I shouldn’t be here,” I shrugged, “But Colin and I are the same age and you aren’t getting rid of him.” 

“ _ He  _ can use the force,” Windu responded, stepping forward so that he could look down at me, “Based on what I was told,  _ you _ can’t.”

“Actually,” Anakin started, “she can.” 

“You have an attachment to her, so you can’t answer that,” Windu snapped. 

“She can use the Force,” Master Kenobi responded, “She should be allowed to stay.” 

“She has information that we could use against the Separatists,” Windu said simply, “If you gave us that information, then you can leave.” 

“Last I checked, the Jedi wanted nothing from me but to stay,” I responded, keeping my face blank so that he couldn’t judge what I was going to do. 

“You listen to me assassin--,” Windu spat, planning to continue, but I was done playing. 

“You see, that’s funny. I haven’t killed a single person in my life, which is something that you wouldn’t be able to say,” I said, tilting my head. 

“Name one person that I ever--” he stared, only for me to interrupt him again. 

“Jango Fett,” I said simply. 

“Where?” Windu glared. By the look on Anakin and Master Kenobi’s face, they didn’t know. 

“Do you really think that the Jedi, the Separatists, and their armies were the only things on Geonosis?” I asked. 

“If I saw you on Geonosis, I would have remembered,” Windu said, hitting the now healing shoulder. But that isn’t what hurt most. The voices were all fading away. And the next thing I know, I’m on Geonosis. 

~*The Battle of Geonosis*~

_ “Boba! We need to go! Now!” I screamed. My hair was still long, around my hips. Well, it would have been, but it was in a braid that was tucked into my hood. My face was almost entirely covered, my hood over my eyes.  _

_ Boba grabbed his father’s helmet and started running with me. I pulled out my knives and slashed my way through the droids and avoided the clones. They were clones of Jango Fett, and I knew what he could do. Now there were a bunch of people that fought like him running around. And it took me years to be able to learn how to beat one of them.  _

_ The colosseum started to collapse, and out of the dust cloud came a Jedi with tan robes and skin the color of the dust around us. His purple lightsaber ignited and I turned to Boba.  _

_ “Get to the ship, I’ll be right behind you,” I said, pointing to our ship.  _

_ “No, I’m not going to lose you too,” Boba snapped, looking up at me. He reminded me of my brother to the point where it scared me. The Jedi was coming closer to us, and based on the look in his eyes, he wasn’t planning on being nice.  _

_ “Boba, I promise, I will see you when this is over,” I said, “Now go.”  _

_ Boba started running toward the ship and I turned back to the Jedi. I knew I wouldn’t get out of this alive. No matter how good I was at hand to hand, that man had a lightsaber and control. I had two knives and knowledge on how to dodge someone. Not the best odds. I used all of the stupid lessons Dooku gave us and pulled the Jedi’s lightsaber out of his hands.  _

_ It flew to the other end of the battlefield and I smiled. Not terrible considering the last time I used to Force, I was seven. The Jedi turned, looked at me, then charged. He knew that I could use the Force, but the fact that he didn’t know the extent of how well I could use it would be really helpful. We started fighting hand to hand, me blocking his hits and being able to return a few of them.  _

_ A few minutes later, he was down and I was running back to the ship. Boba had started to take off and was screaming at me to hurry. When I was almost at the docking bay, a pain unlike any other ripped through my side. I looked down and a purple blade was sticking out of my gut. I fell to my knees and watched the ship take off, tears streaming down Boba’s face. Then, darkness.  _

~*Present time*~

I was on the ground. The only reason that I knew that was that all of the bare skin that I had was freezing. Why were all the floors I fell on so cold? My eyelids felt like lead, but I knew that something was wrong. Maybe it was Colin yelling, he never yells. 

“You tried to  _ kill _ her. For trying to get a  _ ten year old _ off of a battlefield,” Colin screamed. I think it was at the purple Jedi. His name is running away from me right now. 

“I do not regret the choices I made. She was fighting for the Separatists,” Purple said. Now that’s just mean. 

“She didn’t kill a single person. In fact, she was destroying the battle droids,” Colin argued. 

I forced my eyes open. They were so heavy. Everyone was sideways, but they were all arguing. Well, more conversing in an uncivilized manner. Colin and Purple were the main people arguing. 

“... guys?...” I managed to groan out. Everyone was focused on the argument and less on my waking up. Fine by me. I started moving my legs and my god, they were heavier than my eyes. Guess I won’t be walking anywhere. So I was just watching them argue, so fun. Definitely how I wanted to spend my day.

“Do you have proof of that?” Purple asked. God, he was getting on my nerves. 

“Did any of the bodies from your soldiers have stab wounds from knives?” Colin asked in return, knowing he had won. 

“He has a point,” another Jedi said. What was his name again? Kaboomy? 

“She could have used a blaster,” Purple tried to reason. 

“Mara doesn’t even  _ own  _ a blaster!” Colin practically screamed. 

This was starting to get stupid. I tried to push myself up with my arms, but my elbows fell out from under me and my head hit the floor. My brain was starting to clear up, but it was still fuzzy. Please let no one talk to me. 

“Mara!” a voice yelled. Anakin? “You’re up!” 

“No,” I smiled, my voice slurring, “I’m on the floor.” 

“Are you okay?” another voice asked. Could people just stop talking to me so I didn’t say something stupid. 

“Never better,” I cackled. 

“And this is what happens when a memory rub is removed quickly,” Colin said, leaning over me, “A half hour of someone seemingly drunk. Knowing her, Mara won’t want us to talk to her. Let's just get her back to her room.” 

“Where are we going?” I asked as Anakin and Colin came up on either side of me and started carrying me. 

“Did this harm her hearing too?” Anakin asked, looking to Colin for an answer. 

“No, it shouldn’t have,” Colin responded, which only started more arguing. There wasn’t any point to staying awake anymore. 


	6. Chapter 6

I opened my eyes to find that I was in my room, a thin ray of light shining in my face. Oh god. The day before came back to me in a rush. At least until Colin and Anakin started carrying me. 

I sat up and a giant headache made its way to my brain. Hello little devils. I looked around the room and I stopped when I saw the corner. Colin was completely passed out on a wooden chair that looked like it was going to break under his weight. Not that Colin was heavy. The chair was weak.

I got up as quietly as I could and walked over to Colin. I was in the same clothes I had yesterday, but my hair was now up in a very tight bun. Thank you Colin. Whenever I had a headache, I put my hair in a bun to keep my brain from exploding. 

I quietly moved my arms under Colin’s torso and lifted him into my arms. He immediately started cuddling into my arms. I bit on my bottom lip to stifle a laugh. Colin could be such a child sometimes. 

I laid him down on the bed and draped the blanket over his shoulders. Something told me he had stayed up for most of the night. I found the button that closed the window so Colin could sleep in peace and left. 

Walking through the Jedi temple, I realized that it was way earlier than I realized. Close to dawn. Day two of being a Padawan, I guess. 

Did I really want this? Windu said that they only needed me for information. But they had my memories for crying out loud! They didn’t need me to stay unless they really wanted me to stay. Unless they wanted to teach me. At least things I didn’t know. Dooku always forced me to stay during the force lessons, despite the fact that I refused to use the force in front of him. Or anyone else. Only people that knew me from Before would know. Until now. 

No, stop thinking about that. I turned to the window and tried to forget and just watch the sunrise.

“Awake you are,” Yoda said, coming up behind me, “But troubled too.” 

“Hello Master,” I smiled. 

“Speak to me, you can,” Yoda smiled, looking up at me. 

“Why are you keeping me around? Master Windu said that the Council only kept me around for the information that I have. But you have my memories. It doesn’t make any sense,” I said, trying to let out what I was feeling while keeping a straight face. 

“Strong, you are,” Yoda said, looking to the sun, “Many teachers you have had. Many successes, many failures too. But pushed back, you did. Seen your memories, I have. Meant to be here, you are. Doubts, you may have. But find more than fighters, you will. Certain of this, I am.” 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled, somehow being able to follow along with what he was saying. 

“Also, a recording room, there is,” Yoda smiled, “Yess, not used much now, but use it, your group can.” 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled. There was something else about the Outcasts that people didn’t know. We also went by the name Fugitive. And Fugitive is the most popular anonymous band in the galaxy. Figures. We all had stage names and I’m not even Anakin remembers all of them. Colin and I are somehow the crowd favorites. I don’t understand people. Colin’s name is Fuel Cell and I’m Negative. 

We have only performed as a whole group three times though. Everyone else was in smaller bands. Max, Carson, Riley, Jules, and Sam are The Copied. Gives the people a hint, but it makes no sense at the same time. Ral, Cam, and Sean are Alphapet, mainly because they call themselves the Ex’s. Our group is way too big on word play. 

Master Yoda walked away and I knew that I needed to get something inside me. My headache was getting worse. I started walking to the cafeteria. It was the crack of dawn and I knew that no one would be up, not at this hour. 

I closed my eyes and started walking down the halls. I reached into the depths of my memories and walked the paths to the cafeteria. I made sure to use the force so that I didn’t accidentally miss the turn and walk into a wall. Not that anyone would be around to see, but that wouldn’t make it any else humiliating. 

After a few calming turns, I had a welcome smell of fried floating fruit soaring through my nose. I opened my eyes and the droid that was cooking looked up at me, nodded, and went back to what he was doing. I picked up a few pieces of the fried fruit and smiled. 

The last time I had floating fruit, I was stranded on Naboo for three weeks. Not the best circumstances. Especially when you're being chased by gungans. Yeah, it was a crazy three weeks. 

“I guess I’m not the only one that couldn’t sleep,” Master Kenobi said, coming up from behind me, “How’s your head?” 

“I have a slight headache, but I’m more worried about what I said,” I grimaced. If I said anything stupid in front of my friends, I would never live it down. 

“Don’t worry I was the only one that heard,” Master Kenobi responded. What did I do now? “but you never said that you were on Christophsis or Rishi.” 

“You never asked,” I shrugged, taking a bite of the floating fruit. It was much better ripe and cooked rather than raw, “And you had access to my memories if you really wanted that information.” 

“What were you doing on those planets?” Master Kenobi asked. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, looking at the floor. All those places reminded me of how I failed and got people killed. 

“To be a Jedi, one must open themselves up to the Force,” Master Kenobi said, sitting down at a table. 

“All I’ve known is how to hurt others, how to kill others. Did you even want me as a Padawan?” I asked. I don’t care if he didn’t want to answer, I needed an answer. 

“At first, no. I was hoping that you would get someone like Master Plo Koon. Someone that could teach you to control your emotions. Now, I’m happy that I’m your Master. It might not seem like it, but you are more than meets the eye. You proved all of us wrong. First, you were on the run from us, and you put up quite the fight too. Then, we saw you with your friends. Then with Master Windu. It’s like you know what emotions you need and when,” Master Kenobi. 

“A) I do know what emotions I need and when. Every person is different and needs a different tactic to see a new perspective. And B) I see what you did there. You opened up and now you want me to,” I said, looking outside. 

“You are far smarter than people would first think,” Master Kenobi smiled, “The way that you made a holocom from scratch might have something to do with it.” 

“Thanks,” I smiled, “Hey, is there a gym around here or something?” 

“You dislocated your shoulder yesterday,” Master Kenobi pointed out. 

“Yes, but I still have the other arm,” I smiled. 

“Downstairs, it’s for the clones, but I doubt that any of them will be awake quite yet,” Master Kenobi smiled. 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled, getting up. 

“One more thing Mara,” Master Kenobi said, causing me to turn around, “You need to put a braid in your hair so that people will know you’re a Padawan.” 

“Yes Master,” I smiled, running away while pulling a strand of hair out of my bun to braid. It wouldn’t be perfect, but neither am I. It was near the back of my head and didn’t have any adornment, but it still slightly wrapped around my shoulder to show that I was a Padawan. Time to find that gym.

I ran down a few halls before finally finding a staircase that didn’t skip a few floors. Why was this temple so confusing? I turned down a few halls with many doors and there was a door at the end of one that was slightly open. 

I walked in to find the Badass Batch all training. Jules and Riley were sparing. Carson and Sam were lifting weights while Max was shuffling through an agility ladder. 

“Glad to see I’m not the only person that couldn’t sleep,” I smiled, walking up to a punching bag, “Did I say anything stupid when I came too?” 

“Other than calling your master ‘Kaboomy’ and Colin’s ‘Purple’ not much,” Max laughed, “Oh, and you called Anakin ‘Sandman’.” 

“Hide me,” I laughed, wrapping my knuckles and wrists in some bandages. 

“Eh,” Riley smiled, dodging a punch from Jules. 

“We’ll hide your body,” Jules finished. 

“Traitors,” I laughed. 

“You never said in what specific state you wanted to be hidden,” Carson smiled, putting another 25 pounds on Sam. 

“And this is the consequence,” Sam finished. 

“And you know that we would never let you die on us,” Max smiled, finishing his run through the ladder, “You’re the badass that makes sure that we don’t get ourselves killed.” 

“I’m sorry, I think you meant to say that to Colin,” I smiled, “I can go and get him, but he’s most likely still asleep in my room.” 

“What was he doing in there?” Jules asked, looking away for just long enough so that Riley could flip her and pin her, “Cheater.” 

“Well, you were acting pretty drunk,” Max laughed, moving to a jump rope. 

“Thanks,” I said, forcing as much sarcasm into my voice as humanly possible. 

“That’s what we’re here for,” Sam smiled, switching with Carson on the bench. 

“Happy to help,” Riley smiled, helping Jules up. 

“What did I miss?” Ral sang, bursting through the doors with Cam and Sean in tow. 

“Don’t ask,” Cam and Sean chorused. Ral was obsessed with the myth of Earth. Specifically the stories they tell through song.

“You guys know that the 501st and 212th are sleeping down the hall, right?” Max asked, looking over at us. 

“You planned on telling us this when?” I asked, turning to Max, who was busy doing pull ups. 

“I just did tell you,” Max smiled, “And this gym is for the clones, so did you really expect them to be asleep halfway across the temple?”

“Point taken,” I smiled, starting to punch the bag, “Colin healed me when no one was looking, huh?” 

“Yup,” Carson smiled, popping the ‘p’, “How can you tell?” 

“Colin didn’t force my arm into a sling and it doesn’t hurt at all,” I shrugged, the bag swinging more than it normally would for someone my size. Being 5’ 4’’ sucked especially when you’re surrounded by people that average at 6 foot. 

“But we won’t know for sure until you do a few pull ups,” Sean smiled, moving away from the salmon ladder, “Of course though, a simple pull up would be too easy for someone of your strength.” 

“Or too hard due to height,” Ral laughed, putting 50 pounds on Carson, “Have fun buddy.”

“You’re mean,” Carson groaned, pushing up the bar, “Ha!” 

“Agreed,” I said, walking over to the salmon ladder. It was made for people that were eight inches taller than me, so lucky me, I had to jump to reach the bar. 

“Do you need a stepladder?” Cam asked, attempting to anger me. 

“Depends,” I smiled, “Do you want to be hit over the head with it?” 

“Just gain some height,” Riley laughed, walking over to where I was hanging, but not before Jules pinned her. She and I had an extra motive to show that our heights didn’t matter. 

“Okay,” I smiled. I did a few pull ups to start so that I could get a motion and jumped up to the second hold. It felt a bit too easy, so I started hanging by my left arm and kept moving. Third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and back down again. All on the shoulder that was supposed to be injured. After I made it to the bottom, I did the ladder again on my right side and dropped when I finished, “Never second guess my strength again.” 

“You’re supposed to stay off of that shoulder,” Colin groaned, walking into the gym. 

“How did you find us?” Riley asked, “You are supposed to be asleep.” 

“I woke up when I learned that I wasn’t in the chair anymore,” Colin said, pulling out a carrier of water bottles from somewhere. I honestly didn’t care, I needed water. 

I walked forward and looked to Colin, “Seriously, how did you know that we were down here?” 

“Oh, I asked Master Kenobi,” Colin shrugged, “Nice braid by the way. I like how it isn’t perfect.” 

“Ah yes, the 23 year old Padawan,” Ral laughed, spraying water on his head. 

“Give it a week and she’ll be a knight,” Max groaned. 

“She needs one of these first,” Colin smiled, pulling out two lightsabers and igniting them so they shone green, “You want to duel?” 

“Uh, yes!” I said, reaching for one of the blades, “Is that even a question?”

“Fair point,” Colin laughed, jumping into the ring and giving me one of the lightsabers. 

I turned it off for a moment so that I could climb into the ring and reignited it. Colin and I started to circle each other, though while Colin was looking at the location of my blade, I was looking at his feet and hips. He was terrible at hiding what he was going to do through his footsteps. Form II it is. 

Colin swung his blade at my side to start, then spun back and readjusted his footing. My turn. I feigned going right, then spun left to where Colin left his side open. That forced him to change direction last second and block the blade that was inches from cutting him.

“We should switch to bars,” Colin said as his clothes started to burn. 

“Agreed,” I nodded, turning the lightsaber off, “Wouldn’t want to accidentally cut you in half.” 

“How reassuring,” Colin smiled as we put his lightsabers off to the side and picked up bars instead, “I don’t want to be the second Maul, thank you very much.”

We reset and started dueling again. This time, I feigned going high and went low, hitting Colin’s knee. Or so I thought. He blocked last minute and saw an opportunity to win. So he spun his bar around mine and flung it to the side. That wasn’t supposed to happen. I jumped back and looked around for what I could use. Colin smirking wasn’t really helping. Lightsabers were out of bounds and the weights could kill him, so that was out. Nothing was in rea-- I’m an idiot. I used the Force and pulled the bar back to me, also pulling a second bar into my left hand. I looked up and saw that Colin’s smirk had fallen and he had pulled a second bar to his hand. 

“This’ll be fun,” Ral smiled. 

“Ten credits Mara flattens him,” Sean smiled. 

“You’re on,” Cam smirked, thinking that Colin would win. The other five had disappeared to god knows where, but they would be back. 

Colin and I charged at each other again, Colin using Form V and me using Form VII. We were a blur of strikes and parries, the room disappearing as we were hellbent on beating the other. Right now, we were evenly matched, but there might be something I could use. I looked Colin up and down and smirked. I knew how to win this. 

Colin charged at me and went for my side, to which I blocked and jumped-- well, more dove-- over his bars. I did a quick roll and spun back so that I could regain balance and charged at Colin again. I feigned going up, making Colin think I had a side open. But at the last second, I used my bars to disarm Colin, lowered myself into low crouch, kicking Colin’s feet out from under him. I moved back up and made an x with my bars over his neck. 

“Yield,” I smiled.

“...Fine,” Colin said after seeing that if we were truly using lightsabers, he would have no hands and would have a threat of beheading. 

A chorus of cheers erupted throughout the room. Far more than eight people. Colin and I looked up to find that a decent chunk of both the 501st and 212th were watching us. And in the very back stood Anakin, Master Kenobi, Master Windu, Master Yoda, and Ahsoka. 

I lowered the bars from around Colin’s neck and offered my hand to him, “You know you want to take it.” 

“How did you do that? It wasn’t a lightsaber combat form,” Colin asked, taking my hand and getting up. 

“You can thank Jango Fett for that,” I smiled walking out of the ring. 

“Of course he taught you that,” Colin laughed, following me out. 

“Eh, just be happy she didn’t use what Cad Bane taught her,” Ral laughed, making sure that the Jedi and clones couldn’t hear, “I was supposed to teach her more combat and she floored me in less than a second.” 

“We can vouch,” Cam and Sean chorused. 

“Impressive that was,” Master Yoda smiled, coming up from behind us, “A smart move changing forms was.” 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled. 

“He’s right,” Master Kenobi smiled, “The changing of forms in of itself was a brilliant move, but mixing in hand to hand combat was the best move you could have made. But how did you know that move? I keep getting asked by the clones about how my Padawan knows ARC trooper combat.”

“I didn’t use the Force during my time with Count Dooku, but I was still required to be taught about it through him. Hence how I know how to use it. To make sure I could keep up with the other students, he had various bounty hunters and pirates come in to teach me how to fight and use various weapons. Jango Fett was one of the first in line.”

“How many taught you?” Master Windu asked, clearly not trusting me. Guess he won’t like me. Fine by me.

“Thirty,” I said simply, “Count Dooku also made sure that their styles were close enough so that I could move between them in a fight, but defined enough so that he would know what I was using.” 

“That was still awesome,” Anakin smiled, “You have to teach me that sometime.” 

“Maybe,” I smiled, walking back to where my friends were. Multiple clones were congratulating me in some form or another, but I was somewhere else. I wasn’t used to people being around me this much. Most of the time, people would see me as a threat and avoid me. Not as someone that could fight and was awesome because of it. This wasn’t what I was used to. This attention, it made me feel like I was drowning. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t focus on what I needed to do. I got to my friends and sat down. I felt like I was a Commander all over again. 


	7. Chapter 7

Inhale, hold, exhale. Inhale, hold, exhale. Repeat the process until your heart rate is normal and you can walk in a straight line. 

My index and middle fingers were on my jugular and my eyes were trained on the dark tile floor. Inhale, hold, exhale. 

No one was talking to me. They were all talking to my friends. The clones, I mean. God, I couldn’t think straight. My headache was back and my heartbeat was in my ears. 

This was too many people. I needed to get out. I had to. 

I stood up and started walking, trying to move in a straight line. Armour with various paint jobs were flashing in front of my eyes. Jedi robes were across the gym, over by the ring. I needed to get out before someone important noticed.Read someone important as Anakin.

I couldn’t breathe. The room was shrinking around me, getting tighter. Suffocating me. Through the sea of white and blue and yellow, I could see the door. I stumbled toward it, grabbing onto the door jam. I banged my fist on the button that opened the door and stumbled through. 

Where could I go? I sank to the floor and focused on my breathing. Inhale, hold, exhale. Repeat. There wasn’t any place that I could go that there wouldn’t be Jedi, I knew that. But maybe there was. Yoda said that the recording room wasn’t used much anymore. So that would mean that Jedi wouldn’t be there. Yes, that’s where I could go. 

**PoV: Anakin Skywalker**

“Hey, have any of you guys seen Raven-- er, Mara?” I asked. Her friends were all talking and laughing. Especially as one of the twins reluctantly gave the other ten credits. 

“Come to think of it, no,” one of the guys said. Colin, I think. Mara had too many friends and the fact that she officially went by Mara now didn’t make it any easier. 

“In the recording room, she may be,” Master Yoda chuckled, appearing at my side. With all do respect, Master Yoda needed a nerf bell. 

“We have a recording room?” Obi-Wan asked, coming up on my other side. At least I heard him. 

“Did anyone see her leave?” Colin asked, his braid swinging around his shoulder like a whip. 

“Well, she is one of the shortest of us,” Giant, er, Max, responded, “It would be pretty easy for her to slip out.” 

“She is a padawan, who, need I remind you, just floored me,” Colin said, not sounding at all annoyed that he lost the round.

“Check the recording room, we should,” Master Yoda said for the second time. 

“How would she even know about it?” Master Windu asked. I was still trying not to get angry at him for trying to kill Mara. 

“Told her, I did,” Master Yoda smiled. 

“Then we should go,” I said, urgency rising to my voice.

“I think I might know the room you’ve been talking about, General,” Rex said, who until now had been silent, along with Fives, Echo, and Cody. How she made friends so fast was beyond me. 

“Well then, lead the way Rex,” I nodded, following after him as he started running to the door. 

**PoV: Mara Kanto**

I opened the closet door and smiled. Inside sat a beautiful guitar, with brand new strings and burgundy wood. I looked back at the room and smiled.

The recording room was divided into two parts, a wall, door, and one way window dividing them. The side I was on had a piano in the corner with a microphone over it and a second microphone over the sheet stand and stool. The other room had far more levers and switches than I could even think possible. They were supposed to control the way the instruments and vocals were recorded. I couldn’t see into that room, but that room could see me. 

What was with this place and one way windows? 

I walked over to the door and closed it, making sure that it wasn’t locked. I walked back over to the stool and sat down, the guitar in my lap. I grabbed a nearby pick and tuned it, then started to do something I hadn’t done since I was nine. I sang. 

“ _ The day we met, frozen I held my breath _ ,” I started, strumming the guitar and playing the piano with the force. I got lost in the music, “ _ Right from the start, I knew that I found the home for my heart. Beats fast. Colors and promises. How to be brave? How can I love when I’m afraid to fall, watching you stand alone? All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow. One step closer. I have died every day waiting for you. Darling don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more.” _

And that’s when I started to cry. The music fading away. The guitar slumped in my arms until it hit the ground. My brother, Anakin, and I would sing this song together. I would sing the first verse and chorus, then the boys would sing the second verse. Then we would sing the chorus together. I would sing it to them every night. Anakin was the only family I really had left, he was my little brother. 

“ _ Time stands still. Beauty in all she is,” _ Anakin started to sing. I whirled around and saw him closing the door, using the force to play the guitar as he walked to the piano, “ _ I will be brave. I will not anything take away what’s standing in front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this.”  _

_ “One step closer,”  _ we sang together,  _ “I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don’t be afraid, I have loved you. For a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more. And all along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more. I’ll love you for a thousand more. One step closer.”  _

_ “I have died every day, waiting for you, _ ” I sang, _ “Darling don’t be afraid, I have loved you. For a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more.” _ _  
_

_ “And all along I believed I would find you,”  _ Anakin and I sang together, “ _ Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more.” _

The room was quiet. The music sank away into a calming silence. Somehow, Anakin had made his way to the piano and was playing it. And the guitar was back in my hands. I set it on the ground and turned so that I could look over at Anakin. 

“I… didn’t think you would remember,” I said, looking up at him. 

“You were,” Anakin started, before correcting himself, “You are my older sister. I could never forget that.”   


Anakin reached from underneath his robes and pulled out a recorder. Without even asking, I knew that the song was on it. 

“I listened to it every night after--” Anakin started, only for his voice to crack, “After you were taken. Even after coming to the temple. Obi-Wan tried to take it, but I begged him not to. When he saw how… how desperate I was to have it, he let me keep it. When I heard we were going after a Mara, I refused to believe it. I remembered that in your house, your parents and brother would call you Mara. I don’t think I ever knew your last name. But when I heard that you introduced yourself to Rex as Raven, my suspicions only got stronger. Then you called me Crash.” 

“Hey, hey,” I said, going over to the piano, where Anakin had started to cry, “I’m never going to leave you again. And that’s a promise.” 

Anakin's arms wrapped around my torso as he started crying more to the point where they were sobs. I wrapped my arms around him and started rubbing circles on his back with my thumbs to calm him. It always worked when he was upset and younger and I could see it working now. 

We sat like that for at least five minutes until Anakin pulled back. 

“I actually have a question,” Anakin looked at me. I nodded, telling him to go ahead, “Well, really two. First, did you learn anything about where you’re from?” 

“Not a thing,” I shook my head, “Dooku wouldn’t let me near anything that could tell me about my history. He’s obsessive like that.” 

“And second, why did you leave?” Anakin asked, looking really concerned. 

“Panic attack,” I said, resisting the urge to curl into a ball, “I’ve been so used to people being afraid of me that I didn’t know how to act when they accepted me. And that plus all the people there… It was just… too much.” 

“Do any of your friends know?” Anakin asked, looking at me. 

“No, I’ve always been good at hiding them,” I shrugged, “Now, who is she?” 

“Way to change topics,” Anakin smiled, turning bright red, “And what do you mean ‘who is she?’”

“You are different in some way,” I smiled, “The main factor is that you met someone. Last I checked, you were straight and terrible at following rules. You’re also bright red.” 

“Her name is Padm é,” Anakin smiled, looking at the floor and blushing like an idiot. 

“Wait a minute,” I said as all the pieces clicked into place, “as in Padmé Amidala? The senator of Naboo.” 

“Yeah, that’s her,” Anakin smiled before coughing, “And we um, might be… married.” 

“WHAT!?” I screamed, falling off the seat, “And I missed the wedding.” 

“Well it was a secret wedding,” Anakin managed to say through his laughter. 

“You are now required by law to introduce me to this girl,” I smiled, getting up and putting the guitar away. 

“You realize that Jedi aren’t allowed to have a romantic relationship or children, right?” Anakin asked, getting concerned. 

“Yeah, I do,” I smiled, walking to the door, “You’re acting like you’re talking to someone that isn’t a theatre nerd.” 

“Fair point,” Anakin laughed, opening the first door for me. 

“I know it’s a fair point,” I smiled, opening the second door to the rest of the temple and watching Anakin walk through, “That’s why I made it.” 

I walked out the door with Anakin and found that across the hall was a group of very familiar faces. 

“Mara, it’s official,” Colin said, walking up to me, “You need a leash.” 

“Do you have a secret super power of invisibility or something?” Riley asked, coming up on one side of me. After Riley came, I was swarmed with worried faces and I could see Anakin through the crowd of heads. 

‘Save me’ I mouthed to him, making him laugh, which only got him the weirdest looks. Rex was looking around like he couldn’t imagine what would make Anakin laugh, but looked at me and had to stifle a laugh himself. Nice. Now I have no help. Thank you for nothing, you very unhelpful Captain and General. 

“Master Skywalker,” Master Windu said from down the hall. And in that second, the group dispersed, “You need to engage General Grievous. Take your team and go.” 

“Yes, Master,” Anakin nodded, slightly bowing, “Come on Snips. Rex, have the team up and ready in ten.” 

“Yes sir,” Rex saluted before walking off to get his team ready, but not before looking back at our group, “You were originally going to be a part of the 501st, correct?” 

“Some of us,” Riley said, stepping forward, “Jules and I would have been in the 501st. The other three would have been in the 212th.” 

“If you want, you can show Cody and I why you would have been in our battalions,” Rex said, “This offer won’t stand forever.” 

“Yes,” The entire Badass Batch said at once, somehow not surprising Rex or Cody. 

“Well then come on, we’ll get you guys some armor,” Cody smiled. He and Rex walked off, but before the Badass Batch could follow, they turned back to us. 

“You guys are required to keep in contact with us,” Ral smiled before we all got engulfed in a giant hug. 

“We’ll see you guys again, promise,” Max smiled before walking off with the rest of the group to follow Rex and Cody. 

“Well, we should go and see if we can find anything in the Underworld,” Ral smiled, Cam and Sean nodding along. 

“We’ll see you guys soon, okay?” I smiled as Colin and I were engulfed in another hug. 

“Colin, you’re with me,” Master Windu said. 

“See you around,” Colin smiled. 

“I better,” I smiled in return, giving him a final hug before we walked over to our masters. 

“So you and your friends have been divided,” Master Kenobi said as I walked over. 

“For now,” I smiled, “This isn’t the first time we’ve been separated. Just give it a few months.” 

“Well,” Master Kenobi smiled, “You and I have a trip to take.” 

“Where to?” I asked. 

“Ilum,” Master Kenobi smiled. 

“Why there?” I asked. Dooku made sure that I didn’t study certain subjects in relation to the Jedi, so Ilum wasn’t a familiar name to me. 

“To get you your lightsaber,” Master Kenobi smiled, walking down the hall, “Well, come on.” 

“Yes, Master,” I smiled, pulling my hair out of the bun so that the braid could only slightly be seen through my head of hair. I didn’t have a headache anymore.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: The song in this is obviously not mine. Here's the link for the song. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11xWQHTOFU>

I will be using songs in the future, so those will be linked with their chapter. Thanks for reading and hope you guys have a good day/night/time. 


	8. Chapter 8

“Typically,” Professor Huyang said. He was a tall droid with a head shape that I had never seen before, kind of like a stretched out pear. Master Kenobi said that he has been in the Jedi Order for at least a thousand years and became a teacher because of his knowledge of kyber crystals, “You would be a youngling getting your lightsaber. A Jedi Master, typically Master Yoda, would wait for you and a group of younglings along with a padawan escort in the caves. However, being that you will be going to the front lines soon, you will need a better weapon. Let me see the one you carry now.” 

I reluctantly placed my knives on the table, which was only met with Professor Huyang looking up at me with the blank droid face. It wasn’t really helping me read him. 

“What is it?” I asked. 

“Where did you get these knives?” Professor Huyang asked in return. 

“They were a gift from a close friend,” I said in response, “Why?” 

“Among the old blaster parts, there are also parts of lightsabers,” Professor Huyang said, “They are definitely old, but they seem like they were pieces that didn’t fit with the rest of the set that they were originally from.”

“Mara, who gave you those knives?” Master Kenobi asked. I was so wrapped up in this that I completely forgot that he was even there.

“A close friend,” I repeated. If I told them that Cad Bane gave them to me, then he might as well be dead. 

“Very well,” Master Kenobi responded. 

“We are arriving,” Professor Huyang said as the ship started the landing sequence. 

“You might want this,” Master Kenobi said, offering me a large fur coat with the symbol of the Jedi on the chest. 

“I’m all right,” I said, shaking my head, “This isn’t my first time in extreme weather.” 

“You may do as you chose,” Master Kenobi nodded as he hung the coat back on the hook. 

The ship opened up to a giant snow storm and Master Kenobi and I walked out. Part of my training with Dooku was to withstand extreme weather, at the poles. And I knew that we were at the equator, so this was nothing, even if it was winter. Through the storm, I could see the temple.

There were sheets of ice and snow. Master Kenobi walked forward, me slowly behind him and started using the force to open the doors. I quickly joined in and the sheets of ice fell away to reveal a walkway. We walked inside and there was a large mirrored chandelier that was melting what looked like a waterfall of ice. 

“When you go into the caves, time is of the essence. Once you have found your crystal, you must get out. For when the sun has set, the entrance to the caves will freeze over until the next rotation and there will be nothing anyone can do for you,” Master Kenobi said, “And before you ask, a rotation here lasts 19 days. Normally, we would go in the summer, so the ice could be broken through, but as it is winter, you will not be able to. Now go.” 

“That was cheerful,” I mumbled to myself as I ran into the caves. 

The caves were instantly enveloped by a looming silence that I couldn’t describe even if I tried. I jogged for what felt like hours before I came to a crossroads. There were multiple doors and above each one was a four pointed star. I didn’t have time to search every one. 

I got down on my knees and closed my eyes. I let my mind quiet and let the Force flow through me. A sort of calm came over me and I felt a sort of pull. I turned until I was directly in front of the pull and opened my eyes to find that I was facing one of the doorways. 

I quickly ran my fingers through the snow to make an x. I knew that it might not stay, but it was all I could do right now. 

I got up out of my kneel and started running down the tunnel. After a few more turns, I found myself at the edge of a cliff. Guess I’m climbing. I started climbing down the side of the cliff and smiled. This was going pretty well. Of course, as soon as I thought that, my foot slipped and I fell the rest of the way down the cliff. 

“Owww…” I groaned. I got up, but a pain shot it’s way through my leg. I looked down at my ankle that I could tell was starting to bruise. Of course I chose now of all times to roll my ankle, the one time I’m on a time constraint. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was still annoying. I didn’t know how much time had passed, so I really needed to hurry.

I started limping forward as fast as I could and saw a shining light. My hair was sticking to my face, so I started pulling it back into a ponytail, only to find that a strand of my hair was red. Perfect. A head injury too. 

I quickly kneeled down, grabbed a fistfull of snow, and pressed it against my head. I didn’t have anything else to help me, so I would have to treat my injuries when I got back. 

I started limping toward the light again. After what felt like hours, and for all I knew it could have been, I made my way to the light. But there was someone there. It was Anakin. 

“Ani, what are you doing here? I thought you were going after Grievous, not that I’m complaining,” I smiled, walking forward. 

“Why?” Anakin responded, then turned to me. I fell backward into the snow when I saw that he had a gaping hole in his chest and was bleeding, “Why did you leave me?!” 

“Ani… I… I…” I trailed off. I couldn’t answer him. 

“WHY DID YOU LET ME DIE?!” he screamed at me before collapsing and whispering, “Why did you let us all die?” 

“What?” I asked, getting up and looking around, only to shut my eyes. 

Around the room were all of my friends. Colin, Max, Jules, Riley, Sam, Carson, Ral, Cam, Sean. But not just them. But Rex, Cody, Echo, Fives, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan were there too, along with Cad Bane, Embo, and Boba. And all of them were bleeding, dying. 

“I swear, I didn’t do this,” I said, starting to cry. 

“Yes you did,” Colin said, “You let yourself be kidnapped by that monster. And this is the consequence.” 

“I let myself be taken because if I wasn’t then you would all be dead,” I said, my voice rising, “What got me through that hell was the hope of seeing you guys again. In person. I tried doing this alone and you have seen what happened because of that. I broke. I couldn’t do it. Knowing that you guys were out there somewhere and that I could get to you, someday. Even if you didn’t recognize me, that was enough. That is what kept me going. The consequence of me being taken was that I care for you so much more than I ever have and I know not to take things for granted.”

“You lied to us,” Rex said, stumbling forward and clutching his chest, “You’re The Raven. You’re the reason Slick turned on us. You’re the reason it took us so long to get back into the Rishi Moon Base. And now you say that you’re on our side. That we can trust you. So give us a reason.” 

“I found Slick and knew what he would want immediately. But he didn’t think outside the box. When the time came, he would be captured. I knew that at least someone on the Republic’s side would figure it out. And the reason it took you so long to get back into the Rishi Moon Base was that you had to fight off waves and waves of battle droids. I can’t give you a reason, all I can give you… is my trust. You’ve all already come after me more times than anyone else in my life and I know that I can trust you. It’s your choice if you want to trust me.” 

“Trust in the Force as you trust in your friends, and you won’t be able to go wrong,” Cad smiled, now standing, the hole in his chest gone. Then all the people in the room turned back to snow, drifting through the wind. Cad nodded at me one last time, then drifted off into the wind as snow. 

I ran toward the light and dug through the snow. Buried in the snow, were two kyber crystals. I scooped them up into my hands, placing them in the inside pocket of my jacket, and started back the way I came. 

When I made my way to the cliff, I started climbing, but I let my injured leg hang. It wouldn’t be of any help here, I wouldn’t be able to climb efficiently with it for about another half hour. I climbed up the cliff as fast as I could while testing the footholds for ice and snow. I didn’t need to fall back down the cliff a second time. I also used the Force a little bit so that I wouldn’t grab the wrong ledge and fall again. 

When I made it to the top of the cliff, I pulled myself up the rest of the way and started running. There was a slight buzzing in my foot, but it was starting to die down. I ran until I found myself back at the doorways, my footprints and x gone. I quickly got on my hands and knees and looked at the snow for which parts didn’t have as much as the rest. Sure enough, there were periodic ones that looked like footprints in front of one of the doors. 

I started running in that direction again until I reached the entrance. It was covered in ice. I could see a shadow walking away on the other side of the ice. Master Kenobi had to leave. Maybe there was a way that I could get out. I pressed my palms to the ice and called on the Force. To let it flow through me and willed it to run through the ice. Up and down, faster and faster. Until the ice shattered in my hands. 

I lifted my hands to cover my eyes so the ice didn’t fall into them, and looked around when the ice had finished falling. There was no one in the temple and the ice was rising. I ran out and slipped between two of the sheets, at the last second possible, the ice grazing my back and front. The storm, if anything, was more angry then the last time I was out here. 

Through the storm, I couldn’t see the ship, but I could hear the launch sequence starting. I started running in the direction of the sound until I could see the outline of the ship. The doors were starting to close and the ship was already off the ground. Without thinking, I used the Force to pull the ship back and keep the doors open. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to hold the ship for long, so I did something that I had yet to see any force sensitive person do. I made myself a slingshot. 

I lifted my feet off of the ground and let myself fly through the air. I straightened my back as much as I could, then dove through the closing doors. I tumbled across the floor, curling into a ball so I didn’t hurt anything important, and crashed into what I think was a closet. 

I stood up and hit my head against a shelf. Definitely a closet. 

“Mara!” Master Kenobi said, rushing forward, “I wasn’t sure if you would make it.” 

“For a second, neither was I,” I smiled, “And you never said that there would be cliffs in those caves.” 

“I didn’t know,” Master Kenobi laughed before looking at my forehead, “You’re bleeding.”

“I noticed,” I smiled, getting up only to find that there was a holocom on, with Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex on the other side of it, “Oh, hi there.” 

“Told you she would find a way,” Anakin and Ahsoka said in sync. 

“I thank you for your undying faith,” I said, with an outlandish amount of sarcasm and bowing. It was taking all of my energy to not laugh. And based on the look on Rex and Ahsokas faces, I wasn’t the only one. 

“Did you get your crystal?” Master Kenobi asked. 

“Crystals,” I corrected, pulling the two crystals out of my pocket and placing them on the table. 

“Excellent, come with me,” Professor Huyang said, coming down from the command center. 

“Okay,” I smiled. 

I walked to one of the rooms with the droid and sat down across from him. He pulled out my knives, which were wrapped in a brown cloth, and placed them on the table. 

“You will be using the Force to construct your lightsaber,” Professor Huyang said, “And as your knives have lightsaber parts in them, you can put your Kyber Crystals in them if you wish.” 

“Yes,” I nodded. 

“Imagine your lightsaber in your mind. I assume you already know how to build your knives, so envision those parts surrounding the lightsaber components.”

I followed Professor Huyang’s directions and watched as my knives deconstructed in the air. 

“Good,” Professor Huyang praised, “Now, place your crystals here. Guide them carefully, one wrong move and anything could happen. Good. Now that your crystal is in place, close the knives. Put it back together the way that you took it apart.” 

I watched my knives and the pieces slid back into place. When they were whole again, I let them fall in my hands and looked to Professor Huyang. 

“Are these good?” I asked, knowing that if it was wrong, the entire ship could blow. 

“Your lightsabers are unlike any other that I have yet to see,” Professor Huyang said, staring at my knives, “I don’t know the answer.” 

“Okay,” I said. I pressed the buttons that would normally turn on just my knives. But this time, purple light shot out of the top and my knives shot out of the bottom. 

“Congratulations,” Professor Huyang nodded at me, “You are now one of two Jedi that have a purple lightsaber.” 

“Thanks,” I smiled, trying to ignore the fact that the other Jedi with a purple lightsaber was the Jedi that tried to kill me.

I placed the lightsabers on my waist and ran out, only to hear that I had walked in on something I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have. 

“Suicide is not the Jedi way,” Ahsoka said, looking to Anakin.

“You should listen to your Padawan,” Master Kenobi said. I guess Anakin was supposed to be retreating, but wasn’t. 

“As you listen to yours, my old Master?” Anakin asked, apparently he was also Obi-Wan’s Padawan at one point, “No, we stay and fight. And I think I know how to beat Grievous at his own game. Also, hey Mara.” 

“Anakin,” I said, stepping up so that I was directly next to Obi-Wan, “Try not to crash into anything.” 

“No promises,” Anakin smiled before ending the connection. 

“Now you realize that Anakin is above you in rank, right?” Master Kenobi asked. 

“Yes,” I nodded, “However, he is like a brother to me and he feels the same way. I understand that it may not seem like I am giving him respect, but he was my family before he was a General.” 

“Understood,” Master Kenobi smiled, “Now, let me see your lightsabers.” 

I ignited my lightsabers and it made Obi-Wan smile, “It seems like you and Master Windu are more alike than you give each other credit for.” 

“Apparently,” I mumbled. 

“Now, I know that you are versed in many different combat forms as well as hand to hand. However, you still need to learn control and hone your abilities with the Force,” Master Kenobi nodded. 

After about 45 minutes of training with the Force, a holocom call was coming through. 

“What is it?” Master Kenobi asked, only to be met with Admiral Yularen.

“This message is actually for your Padawan,” Admiral Yularen said, “Mara, there has been a… situation. General Skywalker crashed into a planetary ring and when he woke, he asked for you. I understand if you can’t come, as it is truthly General Kenobi’s choice, but I thought that you should know.” 

“Thank you for telling me, Admiral,” I nodded, before turning to Master Kenobi, “I know that attachment is forbidden in the Jedi Order, however, you have had siblings join the Jedi Order in the past. As I said earlier, I see Anakin as my brother and he sees me in the same way.” 

“Very well,” Master Kenobi nodded, smiling, “You know how to fly a Delta-7, right?” 

“Yes, Master,” I smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

I flew out of the hyperspace ring and toward the cruiser, trying not to look at the stars around me.

‘Stop stargazing and try not to crash us,’ R3 beeped at me. He had a rose gold and white body with a clear dome that let me see all of his circuitry. 

“You know, for an astromech, you’re really grumpy,” I said as I started the landing sequence of the ship. 

‘No, I’m logical,’ R3 retorted. 

“Were you built by Anakin or something?” I wondered as I landed. 

‘No, but I know him,’ R3 whistled. The top of my Delta opened up and I climbed out, R3 following me after touching down. 

“That explains it,” I laughed. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to talk to their astromech on a break, but it wasn’t the most common thing in the galaxy either. Hence why some people were staring at me like I lost my marbles.

“Hey, Mara,” Ahsoka smiled, running up to me. 

“Hey, Ahsoka,” I smiled, “Do you know why Anakin was asking for me?” 

“Something about your skills with arguing and negotiating, I don’t know,” Ahsoka mumbled. 

“That doesn’t sound good,” I said, my mind wandering to Tatooine. On Tatooine, Watto would always try to get Ani to do extra work, but I was always able to negotiate out of it. Shmi said that if someone could negotiate with Watto, they could negotiate with anyone.

“Mara, Kid,” Rex nodded at Ahsoka and I as we walked onto the bridge. 

“Why am I ‘Kid’?” Ahsoka complained. 

“Because you’re fourteen,” I chuckled, “Give it time. Trust me, in the military, first name’s aren’t much better. At least, in my experience.”

“Mara,” Anakin smiled, walking around the holotable and pulling me into a hug. 

“Hey, Anakin,” I smiled, “Ahsoka said you needed my skills with negotiations.” 

“Yeah, come on,” Anakin said, his smile fading slightly, “We need to contact Obi-Wan.” 

We walked around to the other side of the table and in a second, my master was on the other end of the call. 

“I’m starting to doubt that Anakin wanted you there for sentimental reasons,” Master Kenobi said when he saw me. 

“And I would be inclined to agree with you,” I said in return. 

“Congratulations, Anakin,” Master Kenobi praised, turning back to Anakin, “Your resourcefulness always amazes me.” 

“Thank you Master,” Anakin nodded.

“You look troubled,” Master Kenobi said when he saw Anakin was keeping his eyes to the floor. 

“I lost R2 in the field,” Anakin said, looking to the floor. So that was why he wanted me here. He wanted me to persuade Master Kenobi to let him look for R2. 

“Well, R2 units are a dime a dozen,” Master Kenobi said, resulting in Anakin clenching his fist, “I’m sure you could find a suitable replacement.”

“I could take a squad out there, track him down,” Anakin said, getting down on one knee in over eagerness. Oh, Anakin, you have much to learn. 

“Anakin, it’s only a droid. You know attachment is not acceptable for a Jedi,” Master Kenobi tried. 

“It’s not just that Master. How do I put this?” Anakin wondered, suddenly becoming very interested in the floor, “I didn’t wipe R2’s memory.” 

Oh no. 

“What?!” Master Kenobi asked, his voice starting to rise in a jumble of emotions, though a slight tone of anger was starting to show, “He’s still programmed with our tactics and base locations? If the Separatists get ahold of him… What possessed you not to erase that droid’s memory?”

“Master Obi-Wan--,” I said, only to get a glare in return. 

“If you are only there because you knew about this and didn’t tell me, you can return to me right now,” Master Kenobi glared, making me step back in shock.

“Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka said, “Sometimes R2 having that extra information has come in handy. And Mara found out at the same time you did, so please don’t punish her.” 

“Well, then, find that droid Anakin,” Master Kenobi said, “Our necks may very well depend on it.” 

“Right away Master,” Anakin smiled, getting up to turn off the holocom. 

“Anakin, I would like to have a word with my padawan,” Master Kenobi said, “Alone.” 

“Of course,” Anakin nodded, leading Ahsoka away from the table. It was only until after they left the room did I say a single word. 

“Am I still returning to you, Master?” I asked, looking up at him and trying to hide the feeling of shame that was crawling through me. 

“No,” Master Kenobi said, “I lashed out at you during my anger at Anakin. I accused you of something that you obviously had no understanding of. I am sorry for that, Mara.” 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled, relieved that I could stay. 

“You know my name is Obi-Wan, and that you can use it,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“Thank you, Obi-Wan,” I smiled. It was hard to believe that a few days ago, I considered him one of the worst Jedi, and now I was on a first name basis with him. 

“Of course Mara,” Obi-Wan smiled before ending the transmission. 

I immediately ran out of the room to find that Anakin and Ahsoka were nowhere in sight. Great. 

“Last I saw, they were heading to the terminal,” Rex said, coming up on my right. 

“Thanks Rex,” I smiled, running in the direction of the terminal. After a few turns, I found Anakin and Ahsoka talking on the Twilight. I climbed up the ladder just in time to see Anakin walking away and a golden droid next to Ahsoka. 

“Don’t worry, he’ll come around,” Ahsoka said, trying to reassure the droid. 

“So this is his replacement I assume,” I said, looking at the astromech. I felt like I had seen him before, but I wasn’t quite sure. 

“Yeah, though Anakin isn’t having it,” Ahsoka said, “We’re going out to see if we can find R2 in the belt, want to come?” 

“Nah, I was thinking about checking to see if the Seppies removed me from the database yet. Might help to see in case I still have access,” I shrugged, “But you better tell me if you find anything.” 

“Definitely,” Ahsoka smiled before walking off to catch up with Anakin. 

I slid down to the bottom of the ladder and jogged over to the backup command center. Everyone was in the main one, so this one was completely empty. I went over to one of the computers and turned it on, causing a bright blue light to fill the room. 

I completely logged out of all the republic servers and went to the one for the CIS. I put in my access codes and low and behold, I was in. I guess B1s were in charge of updating the server. I went through the communications and cross referenced them with any information on R2 units and nearby scrappers. 

“Hey, this is a restricted-- oh, sorry… Commander?” Rex asked, walking in with Riley and Jules in tow. 

“Nope, just Mara,” I said, my eyes never leaving the computer. I started building an algorithm so that I would be alerted if any R2 units or any droid from an R series would be going in or out of any base or mentioned on any communications. Knowing the droids there, they wouldn’t be very specific.

“Well, what are you doing, Just Mara?” Riley asked, coming up from behind me and looking at the screen over my shoulder. Her and Jules’ armor was white with entirely blue shoulder pads and blue underlying the eyes, but not over the top or down the center, almost like war paint.

“Making an algorithm,” I said, “Nice armor.” 

“What for?” Jules asked, “Damn girl, you’ve stepped up a notch since I saw your last one.” 

“Well, we have a missing droid that just so happens to have never been wiped of his memory,” I said, making sure that no names were made. 

“What’d Anakin, er, General Skywalker do?” Riley asked, correcting herself when she got a look from Rex. 

“Crashed,” I shrugged as I put in the last thing needed for this algorithm and released it, syncing it to my comm link, “Now, do you know where the medical station is?” 

“Did you injure yourself?” Rex asked, finally saying something after just watching us. 

“No,” I shrugged, “I just need to know where it is.” 

“Down the hall, on the right,” Jules said, knowing what I really wanted to do. 

“Thanks,” I smiled, removing my history from the log in so that the Seppies couldn’t see what I had been doing. Then, logging out of the Sepratist server and shutting down the screen. 

I got up and started going to the door, but Rex stopped me. 

“What are you going to be doing in the medical station?” Rex asked. 

“Just checking up on some stuff,” I said walking past him. 

“Being that I outrank you, I can order you not to go there,” Rex shouted after me, making me stop. 

“I thought that in your book, experience outranks everything,” I said, not even looking over my shoulder as I walked away.

“How did you know I said that?” Rex wondered to himself. Oops. Kind of forgot that he didn’t know about the cameras Slick hid around the bases. 

I kept walking until I reached the medical station. It wasn’t much, a small room with a few beds and curtains to divide them. The main one was a few levels up, but there would be too many people there to let me focus. I went to a nearby computer, turned it on, and moved to the simulation scenarios. 

I pulled out the holoprojector from the chain around my neck and placed it on the table, turning it on. 

“Okay, parents, what were you-- holy shit,” I said after reading the formulas. Sometimes the fact that my parents were super smart was kind of hard to believe. But the formula and the spreadsheets that went with it were basically saying that they were trying to figure out how to make a clone age like the original. Translation, a clone who’s age chronologically matched their biological age. I knew that Boba aged biologically and chronologically the same way, so I guess my parents were trying to replicate that.

Best to figure out how to explain this now rather than later. All the clones on Kamino are raised for battle. Made to be ready to fight in ten years. Ready translated to old enough to know what they were doing and have the strategy to do that, so about 20 years old. Though, that would mean that physically they were one age and time wise, they were another. This was going to be really fun to explain to the other Outcasts. 

After a few hours of just reading through the spreadsheets and mixing around different chemical combinations on an atomic level, I heard a knock on the door. 

“Come in,” I called to the door, saving and closing everything down. 

“You have been in here for hours,” Rex said, staying in the doorway, “What’ve you been doing?” 

“Nothing important,” I shrugged. Not important for me, anyway. This could change everything for the Badass Batch though. Apparently, they were already getting the version that had the same aging effect, but it was a yearly injection. If I could figure out how to make it permanent, then everything would change. 

“If it was nothing important, then you wouldn’t have been in here for hours,” Rex retorted, reaching for the holoprojector. 

“I’m assuming Anakin wanted to talk to us,” I said, grabbing the projector and putting it back around my neck, tucking it under my shirt. 

“Actually, I did,” Rex said, looking me dead in the eyes in a way that I assume he would use on people he was interrogating, “How did you know that I said experience outranks everything?” 

“You never removed the cameras that Slick placed around your bases on Christophsis,” I shrugged, trying to pass him. 

“You were on Christophsis?” Rex asked, grabbing my wrist, “Are you The Raven?” 

“Yes and yes,” I said, knowing that there was no way out of this. 

“You’re a Sepratist,” Rex accused. 

“It depends on--” I started, only for Rex to stop me. His persona had changed in a second, from concerned to… nothing.

“I don’t talk to Sepratist scum,” Rex said, brushing past me and walking out. The door shutting behind him was the only sound that I could hear. 


	10. Chapter 10

~*The Battle of Christophsis*~ 

“The CIS will need a spy to be able to win this battle,” Ventress said, “Find someone that would be willing to betray the Republic for me.” 

“Yes, Mistress,” I said, nodding my head in a half bow. I pulled my black cloak over my shoulders, the embroidery with silver thread shining in the light. I pulled the hood over my head and ran out of the CIS base. 

If it wasn’t for the fact that Christophsis was a battlefield at the moment, it would have been one of the most beautiful places I had been to. The crystal buildings to begin with were beautiful, but add the night sky to it and it would have been perfect. 

No, no. I have a job to do. 

I jogged over to the Jedi base and had to bite back a laugh. Their security systems were terrible. I ducked around the spotlights and avoided the clones as much as possible. 

The base was a pretty basic base. Air artillery on the outside, along with canons and other stuff. I could blow all this up right now. But even if I had orders to, I wouldn’t. I would give anything to see the Republic win this war. 

A squadron started marching in the base and I hung close to the walls, but still slipped through the doors. Hanging close to the shadows, I pulled myself up and into the vents, army crawling until I made my way to the barracks. 

There wasn’t anything really interesting. I used the Force to feel the different emotions flowing through the clones, but everything was the same. Loyalty, courage, honor, ect., ect.

After at least an hour, there was an emotional change. One of the clones wasn’t feeling loyalty, he had doubt. I crawled toward the room and climbed out of the vents. There were maybe eight clones in the room, but the one on the end is the one with doubt. 

I made my way over to him, purposely keeping my eyes away from the twi'lek dancer posters on the walls. Let me just say, they got that on their own. Jango had no influence that caused that. Based on the armor the clone was wearing, he was a sergeant. He would make a good spy. High enough to get good information and access, but low enough that the GAR wouldn’t fall apart without him. 

I shook him awake and covered his mouth with my hand when he shot up. 

“Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you,” I whispered so that the other clones wouldn’t wake up, “I just want to talk. Can I move my hand?” 

The clone nodded his head and I moved my hand, “What do you want?” 

“How do you feel about the Jedi?” I asked, making sure that my voice distorter was on. It made my voice far more gravelly and deep. It was really helpful in these scenarios. 

“I should turn you in,” the clone said, getting up.

I put my hand on his chest plate and shook my head, “To the Jedi that keep you enslaved, no thank you.” 

“Exactly,” the clone exclaimed, somehow keeping his voice down, “I’m Slick, take a walk with me?” 

“Sure,” I smiled as we walked out of the barracks, the night above us. I could feel him staring at me and I had to resist the urge to vomit. Guess he was either gay, don’t know how the Kamionians would miss that, or he figured out I was a she. 

“Why do we even serve the Jedi?” Slick asked, “We aren’t allowed to leave when we want, we were made for this and nothing else. What happens when the war is over? We’re probably going to be destroyed.” 

“You’re people too,” I said, with an undertone of concern, “The Jedi don’t have that right. To take your life from you.” 

“Exactly,” Slick exclaimed, “Why do I feel like you’re with the Seppies?” 

“You wouldn’t be wrong,” I shrugged, looking to the sky as I pulled a bag out of one of the pockets on the inside of my cloak, “But we can offer you, and anyone you wish something, the Jedi would never give you. Freedom. That is, if you don’t want the credits. All you need to do is place these cameras around your bases and send us the information. Different attacks and tactics and such.” 

“You can count on me. And I don’t need the credits,” Slick smirked, taking the bag, “Thank you for this.” 

“No,” I smiled, knowing he could see, “Thank you.” 

“What do I call you?” Slick asked, “I never got your name.” 

“My codename is The Raven,” I smiled, “I should leave before someone comes.” 

I climbed onto an AT-TE as two clones walked around the corner. One had orange stripes and a visor while the other had blue stripes and jaig eyes on his helmet. Let’s see how good a spy Slick really is. 

“Slick,” Jaig Eyes said, “I thought you were off duty.” 

“I am,” Slick responded, sliding the bag into the breaks of his armor. Smart, “I just needed some air.” 

“The war getting to you?” Orange asked. 

Slick nodded, continuing to look at the sky. 

“The war gets to all of us at some point,” Jaig Eyes said, putting a comforting hand on Slick’s shoulder, “Now get some rest. Everyone needs it.” 

“Yessir,” Slick nodded, walking back to his barracks, but not before giving me a subtle nod. He would be a good spy for the time being. If he was good, he would have known that he only needed to place the cameras, not relay the information too. The cameras didn’t even have visuals. I only needed to hear the plan, not see it too. He would get caught within the month. The perfect spy in my opinion. At least, from the Republic’s perspective.

~*Two weeks later*~ 

“The Republic has taken this sector,” the commanding droid said, running up to me. 

“Fall back,” I said, trying to sound as annoyed as possible. This is really what I wanted. 

“Roger roger,” the droid said, “Fall back!” 

The droids turned around and ran the other direction, away from the clones. Jaig Eyes was leading them. I doubt that after this I would see him, so what was the point of giving him a more creative name. 

While the droids were retreating, I could see a blue lightsaber out of the corner of my eyes. So naturally, I went in the other direction. He could tear through my battalion, not that I would care, but I would be next. And plus, Ventress would expect me to run. I would rather get yelled at for saving my own skin so as to surrendering. 

I ran through the maze of buildings for a few hours until I knew the fight had died down. I turned a few corners until I made it to the main street, only to find a bunch of clones surrounding something. Perfect. 

I started walking past them, but then I heard a voice that I knew wasn’t the one that I heard in the past. But the emotions were the same. The father was worried. 

“PLEASE!” the man begged. I drifted closer to find that his legs were crushed by an I-beam, twisted as angles that most definitely aren’t natural, “My kids are still in there.” 

“Sir, the building is on the brink of collapse, there isn’t any way any one person could go in and not be killed,” Jaig Eyes said, gesturing to the building that was swaying at the top, “I’m so sorry for your loss. Kix, take care of this man as best you can.” 

“Yes sir,” a clone said, probably the medic. 

“How old are your kids?” I asked, running toward the man and brushing past the clones. I knew that my cloak was up and the hood was over my eyes, but I turned off the voice distorter. The more human I seemed, the more likely he was to trust me. 

“My daughter is five and my son is eight,” the man said, “Their names are Ruby and Quartz.” 

“I’ll find them,” I said, running toward the buildings. But instantly a clone ran in front of me and pulled off his helmet. 

“Ma’am, you can’t go in there,” Slick said, looking me straight in the eyes. 

“Watch me,” I said, running past him. I didn’t care if I was supposed to act like a Seppie or not, those kids did not deserve to die. 

I ran into the crumbling building and instantly used the Force to hold it in place. I didn’t need this building falling down on the kids. I used the Force to reach out and feel for anything else that was alive. 

Of course, the kids had to be on the top level. I started running up the  _ very _ unstable stairs, taking them at least two at a time. After twenty-five levels, the stairs had completely collapsed. 

I pulled out my knives and tried not to think about what I was about to do. I pushed the curves of the knives into the walls and put my feet in some of the crystals that were sticking out of the walls. From there, I started climbing. 

After another ten minutes, I had reached the top. I jumped off from the wall and landed on the level. Sweat was dripping from my face due to the combination of the climb and my using the Force. 

I started walking down the halls, avoiding the holes in the ceiling. I could tell I was getting weaker as the building swayed more and more. I needed to find those kids and fast. 

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing down the endless halls. 

“Hello,” a pair of voices called back. I ran around the corner and huddled under a holodesk were two kids. The boy had short hair and caramel eyes, the girl having long hair and violet eyes. 

“Hey there,” I smiled, “Are you guys Ruby and Quartz?” 

“Yes,” the girl said as the boy asked at that same time, “Who’s asking?” 

“Your dad sent me,” I said, pulling my hood off my head and letting my hair tumble out in long waves, “I’m here to get you guys out.” 

“The building’s been shaking more and more,” Quartz said, “How are you going to get us out?” 

“We’re going to jump,” I smiled. I walked over to a hole in the side of the building and could see the clones down below, Slick and Jaig Eyes looking at the building.

“But we’re so high,” Ruby said, “We would die.” 

“We won’t,” I smiled, “One of you will be jumping with me and I’ll catch the other. Do you trust me?” 

“Yes,” Ruby smiled as Quartz nodded. 

“Okay, so who wants to go first?” I asked, hoping I wouldn’t have to flip a coin. 

“I will,” Quartz said, stepping close to the edge. 

“I’m going to pick you up and throw you out. I promise that I will catch you,” I said, lifting him up with the Force, “Ready?” 

“Ready,” Quartz nodded. I pushed him up and out of the window and pulled Ruby to me, pulling my hood back over my head and not bothering with my hair. 

“Ready,” Ruby said, knowing what I was going to ask. 

I jumped out the window, Ruby screaming against my chest. The clones whirled to where they heard Ruby screaming and started running to where we were going to land. I used the Force to soften the landing and put Ruby down. I looked up and spotted Quartz, laughing as he flew through the air and I caught him with the Force, easing him to the ground. 

“Daddy!” Ruby smiled, running over to her dad with Quartz right behind her, “Did you see that, we flew!” 

“I saw,” the man laughed, “Thank you.” 

I nodded, tucking my hair into my cloak and turning to Jaig Eyes, “Make sure they get a good home, and are safe. This war has done enough to them.” 

“You can count on me,” Jaig Eyes nodded. I’m shocked he didn’t ask how I knew he was in charge. 

~*B’omarr Monk Monastery*~

Stupid Dooku and his stupid schemes. I said it wouldn't be a good idea to kidnap Jabba’s son, but did he listen? Noooooo. And now I’m hiding outside a monastery while Jedi are trying to get that kid back. 

I hated taking orders from Ventress, better than Cassius though. Sorry Colin. At least after this I would be Commander under Grievous, not that he would be much better. But at least he had some form of strategy that didn’t involve sitting, waiting, then slaughtering.

“Move forward,” Ventress ordered. 

“Yes Mistress,” the B1 nodded. Surprising that it didn’t say Roger roger. 

Five minutes later, Ventress and I were walking to the monastery, my hood over my head. The droids were busy arguing about which wire to cut, and out of impatience Ventress cut the entire lock.

“That’ll work,” one of the droids said as the doors started to open. 

Soon blaster fire was everywhere. Ventress and I stayed in the back. Ventress because she didn’t want to have to fight-- translation, she’s lazy-- and me because of the fact that I had to stay at her side. 

In a few minutes all the clones were dead and Ventress was giving orders, “Take care of what’s left of the clones. I’ll go after Skywalker. Seal the main gate and all portals. Let nothing escape this castle.” 

My eyes scanned the room and just a few feet away was Jaig Eyes’ dead body. At least that means Ruby and Quartz got off Christophsis okay. But, Jaig Eyes’ hand was moving. I watched his hand pick up one of his DC-17s and slowly lifted it to Ventress’ head. I took a few steps away and slightly nodded. 

He fired the shot and in an instant the B1 in front of Ventress was on the ground, the DC-17 was on the ground, and Jaig Eyes was being force choked a few feet in the air. 

“Where is Skywalker?” Ventress asked. 

“I don’t talk to Sepratist scum,” Jaig Eyes managed to choke out. Wow, he was stubborn. Ventress started tightening her grip on the clone’s neck, but I stepped forward. 

“If we kill him, I don’t think Skywalker would come running,” I said, resting my hand on Ventress’ clenched fist, “His death will only make it harder to find Skywalker.” 

“Then, Commander, if you’re so smart, then contact him,” Ventress said, dropping Jaig Eyes to the floor. Please be good at finding loopholes. 

“Use a mind trick,” I said in return. The clone fell to the floor and Ventress walked up to him. 

“You will contact Skywalker now,” Ventress said, using the mind trick. 

“I will contact Skywalker now,” Jaig Eyes said, turning on his comlink, “Anakin, come in. We got the droids sir. What is your location?” 

We waited as the General never responded. Anakin Skywalker. My brother’s best friend was here. Ventress must have had a better memory than I thought though. What happened next showed just how sadistic Ventress was and how good my acting was. Apparently.

“YOU!” Ventress screamed, slapping me with enough force to make me fly into a wall. Somehow, my hood stayed on my head, “If you had any shred of loyalty, you would have told me what I should have said. Compassion has always been your weakness. And if you so much as think about running to the Jedi, remember that Dooku wants you alive. But he never said anything about being in pieces. I can’t begin to think for a second so as to why he would want a Dud like you, but he does. So make your next choices carefully. Do you understand?” 

“I understand Mistress,” I said, forcing a tear to fall from my face and sound as fearful as I could. 

“Now leave girl,” Ventress ordered, “General Grievous wants his Commander early.” 

“Yes Mistress,” I nodded, scrambling up and walking away. Out of the monastery and away from the assassin that truthly didn’t know who she was messing with. 

~*Rishi Moon Outpost*~ 

The ship was shaking as we flew through the meteor shower. I was sitting there with a few commando droids, but they wouldn’t power on until we landed. 

I held onto the chair to the point where I’m shocked that it was still in one piece. The ship bounced as we hit the surface, the rocks rickoshaying off of the ship. 

As soon as the ship stopped, I got up, “All right, move in on the base and make sure the all clear transmission is still transmitting.” 

“Yes Commander,” one of the commando droids said, marching out of the ship and to the base. I stayed on the ship, or… I wanted to. I walked out after the droids and walked into the base. I stepped over a clone’s body, then walked into the command center.

I pulled my hood up and walked into the fire fight. I could see four clones out of the corner of my eyes, one of them unable to open the vents. I quickly used the Force and opened the vent for them so that they weren’t caught. One of them made eye contact with me, then ran out to follow the others. 

“Commander, four of the clones got out,” one of the commando droids said, coming up to me. 

“Leave them,” I said, “The eel will finish them.” 

Oh for the love of all things good, please let me be wrong. 

“Commander, we are getting a transmission,” another commando droid said. 

“Then get a helmet and answer it,” I said. For such dangerous droids, they were idiots.

“Rishi Outpost, come in,” one of the clones said, “Rishi Outpost, come in.” 

“Sorry Commander,” the droid said, “Experiencing technical difficulties.” 

“This is the inspection team,” the clone said. Based on the pitch of the clones, there were maybe two there and the one further back was talking. 

“Inspection,” the droid repeated, “Negative, negative. We do not require an inspection. Everything is fine here. Thank you.”

“We’ll be the judges of that, prepare for our arrival,” the clone said.

“Roger, roger,” the droid responded, cutting off communications. 

Du da du, we’re dead. 

“Get the rest of that armor on and get out there,” I ordered, “You ten, set up around the perimeter and get ready. If something goes wrong, take care of them.”

“Roger, roger,” the droids said, walking out of the base. 

A few minutes later, a ship had landed on the platform. I stood at the window and tried to relax. With any luck, this would all be over soon. A bright red light fired across the sky and was soon followed by blaster shots. And a second after, an explosion. I saw two clones slide down a line to where the other four clones must have been waiting, but it was too dark to be able to identify them.

I pulled a small bag out of my cloak and looked inside. The same types of cameras that I gave to Slick were in here. Except updated so that I could see and hear instead of just hear. I walked out to the landing pad and looked at the sky. I really hated this job. I looked over the side and saw a giant eel carcase. Something told me Jaig Eyes was behind that, if he was here.

I placed a few of the small cameras on the sides of the doors and on crates, then walked back inside. I pulled out a small screen and went to the cameras. 

The all clear signal was broadcast and it was hardwired in to the point where the base would need to blow up to stop it. I put my screen on the table and kept watching, hoping something would happen. 

In a matter of seconds, there were two clones on either side of the doors and another, Jaig Eyes was in front of the camera. Full honesty, Jaig Eyes made a pretty convincing droid.

“Unit 2-6 is that you?” the commando droid asked through the camera.

“Roger roger,” Jaig Eyes responded. 

“You sound strange, is something wrong with your vocabulator?” the droid asked. 

“Roger roger,” Jaig Eyes repeated, lifting his hand to the side of his neck and tilting his head. 

“Take off your helmet, let me see your faceplate,” the droid ordered. 

“Roger roger,” Jaig Eyes responded, kneeling down, out of sight from the camera and lifted up the head of a destroyed commando droid in his place. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. 

“This is never going to work,” Orange said, shaking his head. 

I got up as the door opened and heard Jaig Eyes repeat himself again. I went behind the desk and looked around as I listened to the voices. Commando droids started flooding into the room as I heard the clones. 

“Permission to take point sir,” one of the clones asked. 

“I’m always first kid,” Jaig Eyes responded. 

In the next second, the room was flooded with blaster shots and I could only see one of the clones. 

“Fives!” one of the clones shouted. 

“He’s okay,” Jaig Eyes said, “Focus on the fight.” 

Jaig Eyes dove forward, only to jump back a step and fire the gun out of the droid’s hand. The droid pulled out two swords, throwing one to me and using the other to attack the clone. Who responded by dodging the blade and snapping its neck. 

“I got one!” one of the clones exclaimed when they shot down a commando. 

“Sorry, Echo, I junked that one,” the clone next to him sympathized. 

“Like hell you did,” ‘Echo’ retorted.

I held the sword with my right hand and started moving towards the vent. In a second, Orange and two of the clones in white armor were rushing me, though one of them had a blue handprint on his chest. I ducked under the arms of one and dove out of the way, causing the two Shinies to crash into each other. What, their armor was shiny. 

Orange went at me, swinging at my head. I quickly threw the sword to the side and blocked the attempted hit that would have definitely knocked me out. I thrusted my elbow into his chest, knocking him back into Jaig Eyes and the other Shiny, and stood up. Making sure that the other clones were in my line of sight first. 

“Hey, I haven’t killed anyone yet and I sure as hell don’t want to start today, so if you guys could cool your jets,” I snapped, “Put. The knife. Down.” 

“She’s good,” one of the clones said, putting down the knife that he had picked up. 

“She also has ears,” I snapped again, “I’m… I’m sorry. About your friend.” 

“Cutup. His name was Cutup. I’m Heavy and they are Fives and Echo. I don’t think I have the rank to introduce you to the Captain and Commander. I saw you open the vents so that we could get out. Thank you,” one of the clones said, stepping forward. 

“You would have had a better chance against the eels instead of the commando droids,” I shrugged. 

I nodded my head in the direction of the blade I threw and ran to the vents, sliding into them with ease and using them like a slide. I don’t know how, but I knew that they weren’t going to follow me. Maybe it was Heavy. Maybe it was Jaig Eyes. I hope that they look at the blade. Look where it landed. That the sentence I carved into the table was telling them what to do. Blow up the base. 


	11. Chapter 11

~*Present time*~ 

I was sitting in the main room of the Twilight, staring out into space. Literally and figuratively. Rex and I weren’t talking, despite Ahsoka trying to make us do otherwise. So now Anakin was in the back room and Ahsoka was listening for any transmissions. I kept looking to my wrist, hoping that the com would beep. So of course it didn’t. 

“We’ve searched their supply grids sir,” Rex said, looking behind him to where Anakin was standing, “There’s nothing to indicate an enemy outpost.”

“Master, I’m receiving a strange transmission,” Ahsoka said. A second later, my com started going off, “I can’t seem to make it out though.” 

“Boost the volume, Goldie,” Anakin said as I pressed my com so that it would project the message, “No no, you’re losing it.” 

I lifted the com closer to my ear and all I could hear was a beeps and whistles. It almost sounded like… 

“That’s R2,” Anakin and I exclaimed at the same time, “I thought you weren’t listening.” 

“Algorithms,” I shrugged, holding up my wrist. 

“That doesn’t sound like R2,” Ahsoka said, trying to stay cautious. 

“It’s him,” Anakin confirmed, “I could never forget that voice. Trace it Rex.” 

“Sir,” Rex nodded. 

“Hey Mara, got something for you,” Riley said, gesturing for me to follow her.

We walked into one of the spare rooms of the Twilight, a small bed in the corner and a case resting on it. Riley opened the case to reveal my cloak from when I ‘worked’ with the Seppies. When Colin and I were escaping, I had to jump out. But to make sure that I didn’t catch on any of the debris, I left my cloak in the cockpit. After that I was taken to the Citadel and I assumed that the cloak had burned to ash. 

“Colin upgraded it, but I have no clue on how,” Riley smiled as I picked up the cloak. I swung it around my shoulders after pulling off my jacket and smiled back at Riley. 

“Thanks.” 

Riley and I walked back out to the main room to find Anakin and Ahsoka having a mini argument. 

“Master, our orders are to find the Sepratist listening post,” Ahsoka said. 

“Perhaps R2 is at the listening post,” Anakin shot back, “Did you consider that?” 

“We have a lock on the droid’s location sir,” Rex said, looking back to Anakin. 

“Prepare to jump to those coordinates,” Anakin said.

“Yes, sir,” Rex nodded, putting in the coordinates. 

“Hold on, R2, old buddy,” Anakin mumbled, “We’re coming.” 

“We’ll find him,” I said, coming up next to him. 

“Where did you and Riley-- when can I steal that cloak?” Anakin asked mid sentence after turning to look at me. 

“Um, never?” I smiled, “It would be too small for you anyway.” 

“Not for me,” Ahsoka smiled, spinning her chair around so she was facing us, “You are now required by law to let me borrow that.” 

“Ha ha,” I smiled as we came out of hyperspace. 

“Sir, the last transmission came from that moon’s upper atmosphere,” Rex said over his shoulder, “directly ahead.” 

“Contact Obi-Wan,” Anakin responded, “Stubby, scramble secret code set 1477. I don’t want that station picking this up.” 

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked, coming up on the other end of the holocom.

“Master, I believe that we’ve found your Sepratist listening post,” Anakin informed, sounding faintly like a teacher. 

“Excellent work. Back off and wait. I’ll send two mainline cruisers to help you destroy it,” Obi-Wan ordered. 

“But R2…” Anakin sighed, “We believe my droid, R2, is on board. He’s the one that led us here.”

“Hmm, this complicates things,” Obi-Wan thought, stroking his beard, “You must sneak aboard that station and destroy it before they crack open R2’s memory banks. I know you’re fond of that droid but he has fallen into enemy hands.” 

“I could rescue R2,” Anakin countered. 

“No, this is not a rescue mission,” Obi-Wan declined, “Keep jamming their scanners. If they spot you, you’re dead. And, Mara, what happened? Why do you have a bruise?” 

“It’s nothing,” I said as everyone turned to stare at me. I subconsciously reached my hand up to brush the side of my cheek. The fact that I was one of the oldest people here and yet everyone was acting like a parent was very unsettling, “It’s from a while back.” 

“If it’s from a while back, then it wouldn’t be there anymore,” Obi-Wan countered, giving me a pointed look. 

“You never said Ventress hit you that hard,” Jules shot up. Thank you Jules. 

The fact that the bruise was still on my face from when Ventress slapped me at the monastery, which was 8 days ago, was very annoying. The purple, red, blue, and brown flower of broken blood capillaries had refused to appear in certain lighting but apparently now was the perfect time to make an entrance. Stupid capillaries.

“A) she said that she was thrown into a wall, and B) How did none of us notice it before now?” Riley responded. 

“Sometimes bruises will only appear in certain types of lighting,” the medical droid said, walking in and grabbing my cheek so that he could get a better look at the bruise. I didn’t understand it though, it was already there and there wasn’t any time to ice it or anything, “You never iced it.” 

“No time,” I shrugged. In reality, I wasn’t allowed to. I was always raised to think that treating a wound only happened if I was gushing blood, so every other day. After my parents of course.

“Why don’t I believe you?” Anakin asked. 

“Because ever since you were a kid, you were paranoid,” I shrugged, making Ahsoka laugh.

“How is it that you don’t have a concussion?” the droid asked me.

“I’m like Anakin,” I smiled, “Hardheaded.” 

“That’s so true,” Riley laughed as she tried, and failed, to stay on her seat. Even Obi-Wan got a kick out of it, as he was trying not to laugh. 

“Shouldn’t we go and get ready to go skydiving?” I said, happy that I had diverted the attention away from me. 

“Yes, you should,” Obi-Wan nodded, “May the Force be with you.” 

“Right back at you,” I smiled as the com turned off. 

“Hey, Rexter, you good?” Ahsoka asked, “You’ve been pretty quiet.” 

“Yessir,” Rex said, never turning around. 

“Something’s up,” Ahsoka said, mostly to herself. 

“Sepratist Scum,” I said, pointing to myself. 

“And what _jackass_ called you that?” Jules said, standing up. When Jules started swearing, things got bad. Like you might want to run for your life bad, “I’m assuming they didn’t ask about Ruby and Quartz, or why you chose Slick, or what you carved into the desk at the Rishi Outpost. Or why Rex is still _alive_ for crying out loud.” 

“Nope,” I said, popping the ‘p’. 

I looked into the reflection of the glass and Rex’s eyes were darting across the ground. Putting the pieces together. Even though Jules did most of it for him. All he really needed to do was turn around and see the cloak. 

“I’ll be at the landing bay,” I mumbled, walking out. I couldn’t deal with this right now. I climbed down the ladder and leaned on my Delta, next to Anakin’s. 

I just needed to breathe before we got to the base. Forget about what happened in the last five minutes alone and just breathe. In a few minutes, the clones were all coming down the ladder. Guess we were going skydiving. 

The gold astromech used his rockets to skip the ladder and rolled up to me. Ahsoka kneeled next to the droid and looked up when she saw I was there. 

“We’re bringing the droid?” Rex asked from behind me. How did he get there? 

“We’ll need Goldie to open secure hatches and access the station’s computer for us,” Ahsoka said, “Oh, and, Rex, you get to carry him.” 

“Ah, that’s just great,” Rex grumbled as Goldie beeped at him. 

“Just be happy it isn’t two,” I grumbled to myself. One alone is hard enough, but I had to carry two just to show that I could. Stupid Grievous. 

I walked over to where we would be dropping out of the Twilight and smiled at Anakin, who nodded back. In a second, everyone was lined up, Anakin on my right and Ahsoka on my left. 

“Is that my bomber jacket?” I asked Ahsoka, who smiled in response. It looked good on her, though it was a little big.

“Sorry,” Ahsoka shrugged, “I wanted to try it on, then we had to go.” 

“Just this once,” I smiled. 

“Yay,” Ahsoka said, making me laugh. 

“Follow us kids!” Ahsoka and I said as we ran forward and dove off of the Twilight. I held my breath as we flew through the atmosphere, everyone else behind us. 

I grabbed the edges of the cloak and fanned them, almost like wings, shooting past Ahsoka. When I broke the boundary, I spread my arms so that it was almost a parachute. I landed on the floor and heard some buzzing almost immediately. Of course the base would have weight activated traps. Thank goodness that B1s are in charge of updating. 

I kneeled on my hands and knees and started tapping the various panels until I found one that was some form of hollow. I grabbed a pick and lifted up the tile to find a major amount of wires. I looked up and saw that everyone was still in space. Good. I connected and disconnected a few of the wires, which stopped the buzzing. 

I got up just in time for Anakin and Ahsoka to land. 

“What were you doing?” Anakin asked. 

“The usual, making sure we don’t get killed,” I shrugged as everyone else landed. 

When Rex landed the weight of Goldie threw him off so that he almost fell over. In result, he pointed a finger at one of the clones, “Next time, you’re lugging this astromech around!” 

I had the luxury of being able to cover my mouth to keep from laughing, as the other men did not. 

“Mara, you tearing up floors now?” Riley asked. 

“Would you like there to be a giant battalion coming in here?” I responded sarcastically. 

“She’s right, weight triggered floors,” Jules said, looking at the wiring. 

“But why didn’t it work for you?” Ahsoka asked. 

“B1s update everything,” Riley, Jules, and I said at the same time. 

“That wasn’t at all creepy,” Anakin mumbled as he carved a hole in the floor big enough for us to jump through. 

We jumped through the hole, me being the last one. When I landed, everyone had already turned the corner. I ran around in time to see two B1s get attacked and we kept moving. 

“All right Stubby, get to work,” Anakin said when we came to a port. In a second a map was up. 

“We are here,” Rex said, pointing to a part on the map. But I had seen this map before. Dooku made sure that when I went from planet to planet, I couldn’t see what planet I was coming from or going to. And this is a base I’ve been to, “The reactors are 30 levels below us, there.” 

“Don’t take the lift,” I said, making everyone turn to me. I got down on one knee and pointed to the big room next to it, “It will drop us right into the main room for the reactors, but the elevators are guarded by droidekas. If we take the shaft next to it instead, we’ll come out in a back corner of the reactor room. Only B1s guard that area. But we’ll still need to go through the main doors first.” 

“And you know this how, exactly?” Rex asked. 

“Dooku never let me know which planet I was on and when, but he still let me see the maps of the bases,” I shrugged. 

“We can vouch,” Riley said, pointing to her and Jules. 

“Is there any way to move the droidekas?” Anakin asked, looking at the map. 

“If there was a major security breach, yeah,” I nodded, “It would have to be in the landing bay though, only the closest would be sent there. The rest would be reinforcements.” 

“Something tells me Grievous didn’t make that plan,” Anakin mumbled to himself. 

“He didn’t,” I shrugged, “My partner and I did. And before you ask Jules, we were 16.” 

“Ah,” Jules nodded, knowing who I was talking about. When I was 16, I was made a Commander along with another girl. Hestia. She was a dark blue twi'lek as well as my girlfriend. But on one of the jobs, something went wrong and she was killed. It’s something I’ll never forget. 

“Who’s your partner?” Ahsoka asked. 

“She’s dead,” I said simply. 

“Ahsoka, Mara, you take the squad and blow up those reactors,” Anakin ordered, “Gravity will do the rest. We’ll meet in the landing bay.”

“Where are you going?” Ahsoka asked.

“I’m just going to have a look around,” Anakin said, trying to sound innocent. 

“Hope you find R2 in one piece,” Ahsoka smiled. 

We started running down the halls to the main door, but we were missing a droid. 

“ ‘Soka, where’s R3?” I asked, hoping that she would know. Why did that droid look familiar?

“What are you doing back here?” I heard Ahsoka say from around the corner, “Come on.” 

When Ahsoka and the droid turned the corner, it was almost like the droid was looking right at me. It hadn’t done that before. It was almost like it was processing something. I subconsciously pulled my tattooed arm closer to my side. I’ve had the tattoo for as long as I could remember and no one could tell me what it was. Add that to the fact that I was the only one with it, and it instantly became a beacon of light. 

“We found the shaft sir,” one of the clones said. 

“The alarm triggered another security door,” Rex told Anakin, “... ray shielded.” 

“This could take a while to bypass,” Ahsoka said into her comms, “Mara, you know any way around?” 

“If you want to spend an extra two hours with droids of various constructs at each corner, sure,” I mumbled. I was a little bit preoccupied with figuring out where I had seen that stupid droid before. 

“Good luck with that,” Anakin said through the link. 

“Go ahead Goldie, make me proud,” Ahsoka said. Now that was just begging for something to go wrong. 

“Oh, this’ll be good,” Rex and I said at the same time. 

“Those droids are getting closer sir,” Jules said. 

“Do you think R3’s going to open that door any time soon?” Rex asked Ahsoka. 

“He’s working on it,” Ahsoka defended, “Patience Captain.”

“I could always hotwire it sir,” one of the clones said. 

“Don’t bother. That could take hours,” I responded. No point in lying. 

“Hurry up, Goldie,” Ahsoka said as the droids started coming around the corner. 

“I think we’ve run out of time,” Rex told Ahsoka as the droids started firing at us. 

“Oh, really? I couldn’t tell,” I responded sarcastically. 

“Blast ‘em!” one of the droids shouted. 

I pulled out my lightsabers and started deflecting bolts as B1s and B2s started surrounding us, the troopers diving to the pillars for cover. And low and behold, Goldie closed the door entirely. 

The droids started pulling in tighter and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before we were overrun. 

“Rex, droid poppers, now!” Ahsoka yelled. Of course everyone forgot to tell me that we had those. 

“Droid poppers!” Rex responded, throwing one at the B2s. They started firing at it, which only resulted in it bouncing around and going off, knocking all the B2s to the ground. Another one was thrown at the B1s, who thought it was a good idea to pick it up. 

I started feeling a presence and immediately shouted, “Everyone get down!” 

In a second, a red lightsaber was flying down the hall and Rex was the only one that either hadn’t heard me or didn’t care. So being me, I jumped forward, turning off my lightsabers first, and pushed Rex out of the way, falling on top of him. 

In a second though, I rolled off of him, stood up, and ignited my lightsabers. I held them backhanded and Ahsoka soon followed suit. 

“Grievous did that?” Cassius asked, gesturing to my hair, “Eh, that’s why he’s a general. Hey Grievous, your commander is back.” 

“I didn’t think they would send children to destroy our station,” Grievous stated, coming out of the shadows, “The Republic must be running out of Jedi. Especially if Commander Kanto is here.” 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: Hey, everyone. Just a quick heads up, school is starting up again for me next week and I might not be able to post as much as I would like. I'll try to get chapters out on time, but school always takes priority. Thanks for understanding. Have a good day/night/whatever time of day it is. 


	12. Chapter 12

“I am not your Commander,” I said simply.

“He’s just another tinny, kids. Let's scrap him like the rest,” Ahsoka said to the clones, “And I assume you can control Mr.Dark And Brooding?” 

“Yup,” I nodded, my eyes never leaving Cassius. 

Ahsoka and I ran at the generals. I matched my lightsabers to Cassius’, but in a second Ahsoka was flying over my head. 

I pushed off of Cassius and looked around the hall. My eyes flashed to the vents above me and I had to cover my joy. When I was at this listening post, I was known, and hated, for using the vents to get around. To the point where the vents had giant steel filters that I couldn’t get around. 

Cassius pushed me into a wall with the Force, making my hood go over my face. A look of confusion crossed over his face and I used his hesitation to my advantage. I pushed him with the Force so that he was under a vent and pulled it down so that it crashed on top of him.

I spun around to see that Grievous was charging at a now unconscious Rex. I used the Force to pull on his first lightsaber as Ahsoka ran past me and intercepted the lightsaber with hers, “Sorry to interrupt playtime, grumpy. But wouldn’t you prefer a challenge?”

“That wouldn’t be you,” Grievous said, swinging his second lightsaber at Ahsoka’s head. I quickly used the Force to pull the lightsaber away from Ahsoka’s head and pulled another vent on Grievous. 

“Ahsoka, we need to go,” I said, walking up to her. 

“Mara?” Ahsoka asked looking around, “Where are you?” 

“What do you mean? I’m right here,” I said, pulling off my hood. 

“Well, apparently you have an invisibility cloak,” Ahsoka said, trying to stay calm. 

“Cool,” I said, taking it off so that when at least Rex woke up, he could use it to sneak through the base. I looked back quickly to see both an angry Grievous and Cassius, “And this is where we run.” 

“Yup,” Ahsoka agreed as we started running down the halls. 

“Split,” I said as we came to the end of the hall. Ahsoka turned left while I turned right, and based on the footsteps following me, I got Cassius. At least Ahsoka wouldn’t have to fight someone that was force sensitive. 

I ran down a few more halls until I came to one of the storage rooms. I ducked behind one of the shelves, turning off my lightsabers as I did, and watched Cassius. 

“Agent R3, come in,” Cassius said, talking into his comlink. And that’s where I had seen Goldie before. He got a paint job, because before he was gold, he was blood red. 

“Ahsoka, it’s me, Rex,” my comlink sounded, activating. 

Cassius’ head snapped at me and I ran out of my hidey hole to the halls. 

“Jules, Riley, and I are the only ones left,” Rex informed, “should we abort the mission?” 

“No, complete the mission,” Ahsoka started. I turned down the hall and smiled, recognizing where I was. I pulled myself into one of the rafters and watched Cassius continue running. 

“Take my cloak and go,” I said, knowing they would have seen it by now, “Apparently it has cloaking tech, but you have to pull on the hood.” 

“Set the charges and rendezvous at the landing bay,” Ahsoka ordered. 

“But sir--” Rex started. 

“That’s an order Rex,” Ahsoka and I said in sync. 

“Ahsoka and I will keep the generals busy. Mara out,” I said, turning off the com and silencing it so that it didn’t go off again. 

I jumped down from the rafters just in time to duck away from the crimson lightsabers flying at my head. Cassius was obsessed with throwing his lightsabers. I pulled out my lightsabers and turned to where the lightsabers came from. 

“I’m happy you’re the one I got. It will make it much more pleasing when you die,” Cassius smiled in the creepiest way possible. 

“I think not,” I smiled, running down the hall in the opposite direction. 

I turned down the hall and ducked as a lightsaber flew over my head. I turned to another corner and my jacket was in the middle of the floor. 

“How dare you Ahsoka?” I gasped as I picked up my jacket and pulled it on. 

I kept running down the hall, recognizing where I was. The base started shaking and I knew that the bombs had gone off. Though it was very likely that everyone was still on it. I continued running, just in time for the lights to go out. Perfect. 

The lights continued to flicker as I kept one hand on the wall. I reached out with the Force, only to find a bunch of run down droids. But in a second, I couldn’t sense them. 

And this is what I get for watching horror holofilms with the twins through a bet. 

“Mara Kanto, I heard you love horror holofilms,” Cassius’ voice said through the PA system, “Oh, excuse me. Hate. I heard you hate horror holofilms. Well that will make this more fun. You see, I got bored while being at this base. So… I… watched many horror holofilms from Earth… and then I created the main antagonists. So you should have been having fun, but now watching you be in fear would only make it fun for me. Oh, hello Mara’s friends! Would you all like to watch her go through horror holofilm hell? No? Well too bad. Have fun Mara. After all, most everyone’s mad there.” 

“Great,” I mumbled to myself as the lights continued to flicker. Something rammed into me and I spun around, only to find a flash of red hair. 

“Oh yeah,” Cassius said through the PA again, “You may have noticed that you can’t use the Force there. But you might also notice that you now don’t have your lightsabers. Have fun.” 

My hands flew to my hips and sure enough, both lightsabers were gone. My heart started hammering in my chest as I let my knuckles brush against the walls. I had an idea of where I was, but who knows what Cassius did to this place while I was gone. 

I turned the corner and the lights were flickering over the same twins from The Shining. Their hair still had the curls only at the bottom and their dresses were the exact same shade of blue. 

“Come play with us. Forever and ever,” the twins said as I started to back away. And the lights chose right then to go completely out. I turned around and started walking away from the hall, but the lights turned back on and the twins appeared right in front of me, “Come play with us. Forever and ever.” 

I turned around and started running down the hall. The lights continued to flicker as I ran, my heartbeat now in my ears. 

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” the voice of Jack Torence echoed from the hall on my left. 

I picked up the pace as I kept running and tried keeping my knuckles on the wall. I turned the corner and pressed my back to the wall, listening for any footsteps. 

“I’ll kill you all!” the voice of Pennywise said from around the corner. Why did it have to be Pennywise? “Aha, I’ll drive you crazy and kill you all! I’m every nightmare you’ve ever had. I am your worst dream come true.” 

The lights continued flashing as I slowly backed away from the corner of the hall, but my foot brushing on something made me stop. I looked down at my foot, only to rush away and cover my mouth to keep from screaming. 

“Hi, I’m Chucky and I wouldn’t talk if I was you,” Chucky said holding a kitchen knife like you would expect a murderer to. His strawberry hair was a mess, bloody cuts riddled his face, and his eyes had the look of a maniac in them. 

Chucky, or Pennywise? Chucky or Pennywise? Chucky it is. I took a few steps away from Chucky, which made him tilt his head in response, then charged at him and kicked him like a bolo-ball. Chucky flew down the hall and I ran after that little terror. 

“We’re friends till the end!” Chucky yelled as he jumped on top of me, trying to stab me with the knife. I fell to the floor with Chucky on top of me, while staring at me mind you, holding his midsection with one hand and the arm with the knife in the other, “You are so dead.” 

“Nope,” I said, placing my feet on one of Chucky’s hips and moving my hand from his arm to the knife. I held onto the knife and pushed at Chucky, expecting him to let go of the knife. But that just couldn’t happen now could it. So instead, Chucky’s arm came off, Chucky went flying, and I was trying not to swallow the oil flooding onto my face. 

I got up and wiped the oil out of my face. I could worry more about that later. I picked up the knife at the tip and carefully pulled Chucky’s arm off of it. I tossed the knife from hand to hand, getting a feel for it. I put it back in my right hand and held it backhanded. At least now I had a weapon, especially if Chucky told everyone that I removed his arm. 

The lights cut for a second and in a flash the Annabelle doll was a few feet in front of me. Out of pure instinct, I threw the knife at the doll, removing her head. The rest of the body collapsed to the ground as the head rolled away, leaving a trail of dark oil. 

I picked up the knife, now coated in oil, and kept going with my knuckles still against the wall. 

“Mara!” a voice yelled from around the corner, “Mara! Help! They’re going to kill me!” 

It sounded exactly like Reese, but I knew it wasn’t him. But that didn’t make this any easier. Damn you Pennywise. 

“Mara, please!” the voice begged, “Mara! Hel--” 

The sound the voice emulated forced me to cover my mouth to keep from crying. I kept my mouth covered as the voice continued to cough up blood. Then the sound of something large and heavy hitting a wall. What rolled around to my feet made me freeze. 

It was my brother’s head, mid scream. Blood was dripping from his mouth and from where the neck should have been, tears running down the sides of his face. Tears were gushing from my eyes, despite me knowing that it wasn’t real. 

“Here’s Johnny!” Torrance said from behind me. I spun around only to duck as an axe flew at my head. 

I grabbed the handle of the axe, hoping it wasn’t attached to the robot, and pulled. Sure enough, the axe came out of his hands and rested in mine. 

I moved my hands to the bottom of the axe and swung it like a bat at Torrance’s neck. The axe embedded itself halfway through the neck, so I pulled it out, which only resulted in more oil. I turned around as the robot collapsed, leaving the knife that I hadn’t realized I dropped. I had a much better weapon now. 

I turned the corner to find Chucky, with oil gushing out of his shoulder, giving me a rude gesture with his remaining hand. To which I responded by throwing the axe into his chest, embedding him into the floor. 

I pressed my foot on the doll’s chest and pulled out the axe. Only the twins and Pennywise were left. Though something told me that I wouldn’t be seeing the twins. 

I kept my knuckles on the left wall and turned the corner to a dead end. Now that was just great. I ran to the wall and started tapping my knuckles against it to see if it was hollow. Thank goodness it was, not to mention that it seemed really thin. I took a few steps back and swung the axe through the wall. 

I pulled the axe out and looked through to see that everyone was still in battle while Cassius was watching me while eating some jogan fruit. I swung the axe at the wall again and again to the point where I could almost pull back the metal and step through. 

“Found you,” Pennywise said from behind me. 

I somehow had enough time to turn around and hold up the axe as Pennywise charged at me and we fell through the wall to the other side. With the momentum I had, I kicked him over my shoulder and got to my feet as he tumbled through to the battle. 

“That’s Pennywise,” Riley yelled as he tumbled in front of her. 

“Anybody know where my lightsabers are?” I asked, charging as Pennywise with the axe. 

“Nope,” Jules said, firing at a droid. 

“So helpful,” I said, throwing the axe and watching it land in Pennywise’s forehead, the knife that was apparently in his hand clattering to the floor. 

I looked up and in the corner of one wall was a video feed of the hole in the wall. So they really could have been watching me. Great. That’s going to be a fun conversation.

I pulled the axe out of the stupid clown’s forehead and swiftly removed the head of a battle droid. Guess I was now fighting with an axe. 

I ran at Cassius, only to not be fast enough as he got in his ship and departed. 

“Anakin!” I spun, “We need to leave now!”

“Yeah, no kidding!” Anakin responded, somehow ignoring the fact that I was covered in oil. 

“General Skywalker,” Rex shouted, “There are fuel cells over here!” 

“Get ready Rex,” Anakin shouted over his shoulder. Anakin threw the fuel cell forward and a bolt wizzed over my head, striking the fuel cell. 

Following the explosion, the doors to the docking bay, that I hadn’t even noticed were closed, opened up. 

“R2 did it!” Ahsoka exclaimed. 

“Of course he did, now let's get out of here,” Anakin smiled. 

“Definitely,” I smiled as we ran onto the Twilight. 

As soon as everyone was on the ship the Twilight spun around and took off. I had a quick wave of lightheadedness, but brushed it off. I walked into the room just in time to hear about yet another thing Anakin wasn’t expected to do.

“General Skywalker has boarded his fighter,” Rex said, concern lacing his voice, “Where’s he going?”

“He’s going after R2,” Ahsoka shrugged. Honestly I wouldn’t expect anything less. 

“I’ll be right back,” Anakin said through the comms, “Don’t wait for me.”

Another wave of lightheadedness washed over me as a pain hit my side. I held my side instinctively and pulled away my hand to see that it was stained red. 

“Well that’s not good,” I noted, falling to the ground. The last thing I saw was three pairs of feet running to me as the world faded to black. 

~*~*~

“How is she?” a voice said. Anakin. Everything was so dark. Either the lights were out or my eyes wouldn’t open.

“She is resting,” a droid said, a medical droid, “The knife made a deep cut, but missed her vital organs. She will need to take it slow for the next few days. And with what you described and the film you recovered from her time in the hallway, I don’t know how her emotional and mental state is.”

“Jules, it’s your turn to keep her from the gym,” a voice said. Riley. 

“Wait, what?” a third voice said. Ahsoka? 

“Mara is not easy to keep from the gym,” Jules said in response, “It was the only place she was allowed to be without triple security. And they were to control her, not protect. It was also the only place that she could see her surrogate family.” 

“Wait, she replaced her parents and brother?” Anakin asked. 

“No,” Riley stepped in, “They were just there for her. She doesn’t talk about it much, but from what we’ve heard, it was a pretty rough ten years. She doesn’t even talk about the window. She shuts down any attempt in a second.” 

I opened my eyes to find that everyone was sitting around the walls of the room, though the med droid was gone. By everyone, I meant Ahsoka, Riley, and Jules were on one wall, Anakin was on another wall and Rex was in the corner. There was a mask over my face as I sat up. I was once again in a sports bra, but all of the oil was scrubbed off of me and there were miniscule stitches in my side. I could see a black short sleeve shirt and my jacket in one corner, but I could get those later. In a second, everyone was surrounding me as I rested myself on the edge of the bed. 

“One at a time,” I moaned. Everyone talking at once was giving me a headache. 

In about five minutes, everyone was out of the room and I could actually breathe. Then Rex got out of his dark corner of mope. 

“I wanted to, uh,” Rex started, rubbing the back of his neck, “apologize. I didn’t stop and think about what you could have been to the Separatists. When you said that you were The Raven, all I could think about was how Slick said that you offered him freedom, causing him to betray us. But when I saw your cloak, everything fit. I’m sorry… for the way I reacted.”

He reached out his hands and I looked down at his upturned palms. In them rested my cloak, neatly folded, with my lightsabers resting on top. 

“Your cloak really helped us out. We would have been spotted if we didn’t have it. And I saw the lightsabers on the way out,” Rex explained. 

“Thanks,” I smiled, taking the cloak and lightsabers from his hand, “And I would have reacted the same way, so don’t worry about it. Also, I am above you in rank, aren’t I?” 

“In my book, experience outranks everything,” Rex smiled, “But you already knew that.” 

“Who said I wasn’t referring to experience?” I smiled. 

“I did,” Rex smiled, walking to the door, “Sir.” 


	13. Chapter 13

I was staring out into space, again. Ahsoka was with Master Luminara Unduli while a medic named Kix refused to give me clearance to go back into the field. Add that to the fact that Riley and Jules somehow got Rex, Fives, Echo, and Cody to basically keep the gym on lockdown. So this was my life right now. 

I turned away from the main windows and walked down the halls. There wasn’t any way for me to focus. Any movement that was too quick would tear my stitches and I would have to start all over in the healing wing. And something told me Kix wouldn’t enjoy my company for much longer. 

I turned the corner and saw Riley walking over to my right. I was about to call out to her, but her stopping at the door made me pause. She quickly looked over her shoulder and walked in the room, closing the door behind her. If you weren’t looking, you wouldn’t see the faded blue light from under the door. 

I walked up to the door and I could hear a voice. A child’s voice. 

“Riley is everything--” I asked, only to pause as Riley spun around. I quickly shut the door before anyone could see Sean and a little girl on the other side of the call. The girl was in an ebony shirt and black jeans, her black hair braided down the back of her head. She had Riley’s eyes, but her skin was a dusted mix of Riley and Seans. 

“Please, Mara, don’t tell anyone,” Riley said almost immediately. 

“Your secret’s safe with me,” I smiled, “But how long have you and Sean been a thing?” 

“A few years now,” Sean smiled, “Julia is five but she ages like her mom.” 

“Wait, did you two get married without telling anyone?” I asked, pointing to the couple with a smile on my face. 

“Two years ago,” Riley blushed. Now that was something you wouldn’t see much, if at all. 

“And you managed to keep it a secret? Along with your daughter?” I asked. 

“Somehow,” Julia smiled, her voice high, “My middle name is Mara.” 

“Is it now?” I said, turning on Riley. 

“She is basically a mixture of the two toughest women we know,” Sean responded, “In fact, Riley and I wanted to ask you something.” 

“Would you be Julia’s godmother?” Riley asked. 

“Of course,” I smiled. There wasn’t any way I was going to say no. 

“Can I call you Auntie Mara?” Julia asked. God she was adorable. In a way, she reminded me of Boba. 

“You can call me whatever you want, as long as it isn’t mean,” I smiled. 

“I can do that,” Julia smiled. 

“Now, I would love to stay, but I have a feeling Kix wants to check on my stitches for the millionth time today,” I smiled. 

“Have fun with that,” Sean smiled. 

“See you later,” Riley smiled at me. 

I slipped out of the door and walked down the hall for a while. I wasn’t going anywhere in particular, I just wanted to walk around. 

I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket and smiled. It felt like an eternity ago that Jango gave this to me on Kamino. That I was taking care of Boba whenever Jango was training the ARC troopers or was on a job. Embo would kill me if he found out that my hat that he gave me was currently collecting dust in Jango’s old room. All because I said that we would all be back there after Geonosis. All because I didn’t see the signs of war coming.

“Hey, Kix wants to see you,” a clone told me, snapping me out of my thoughts. He had a tattoo of the Republic’s symbol covering almost half his head, “He’s down in the medics.” 

“Got it. Thank you…” I trailed off when I realized I didn’t know his name.

“Jesse sir,” Jesse nodded, standing at attention. 

“At ease. Thank you Jesse,” I smiled, “Hopefully he won’t attack me with questions this time.” 

“Ah, happy to hear that it’s not just us clones that get questioned,” Jesse replied. 

“I would expect so,” I smiled.

I walked over to the medic’s and walked through the door. 

“Sit down please,” Kix said, pointing to the bed. 

I sat down on the bed just in time for Kix to come over to me with tweezers and scissors. 

“Let’s see the stitches,” Kix said as I pulled my shirt up to my rib cage. The skin around my stitches were almost normal. Kix started pulling out the stitches as my eyes traveled around the room. 

It was medium sized with a few beds and a shelf with medical supplies. But other than that, the room was bare. 

“General Skywalker told me that you’re still looking over your shoulder, not to mention that I can tell you haven’t been sleeping well,” Kix said, still removing the stitches. Damn you, Anakin. Ever since the hallway I’ve been trying not to look over my shoulder, but that is easier said than done. And in terms of sleep, it’s been taking me at least an hour to fall asleep because of the dark. It’s been getting easier, but every now and then I still look over my shoulder. 

“It’s not happening much anymore,” I said, and it was true. I just didn’t want Kix to go into shrink mode. That was one thing I didn’t need. 

“What does it feel like when it’s happening?” Kix asked, moving on to the second stitch. Seriously? 

“Really?” I asked, tilting my head slightly as Kix finished pulling out the stitches. 

“Talking about it might help,” Kix said, removing the second stitch, “You can get back into the front lines, but don’t push yourself.” 

“I’ve been looking over my shoulder my entire life, this isn’t any different,” I shrugged, readjusting my shirt and hopping off the bed, “And you really don’t want to know my life story.” 

“Come back if you injure yourself in any way,” Kix ordered. 

“All right,” I shrugged, walking out the door.

Me being me, I went straight to the gym so that I could do some target practice. I walked into the gym and smiled, looking around. 

Half the gym was a target range with various weapons. The other half had groups of punching bags, salmon ladders, agility ladders, and weights. 

I walked over to where various blasters were basically on display but at the end was a bow and arrow. And not the ones made out of plasma or some other energy. Oh no. This one was made of a dark oak and really tight string. The arrows next to it were made of the same type of wood with black feathers and midnight flint, resting in a faded leather quiver.

I picked up the quiver and swung it around my shoulders. I picked up the bow and rolled it around in my hands. The smooth wood cleanly moved with my hands as it slipped into my left and I walked over to the shooting range. 

I squared my feet so that I was in line with the target. I pulled an arrow out of the quiver and notched it. I could feel the string against my cheek and all I could see was the center of the target. I released the arrow and smiled as the arrow gave a satisfying thunk in the center of the target. 

“I can do that too,” Fives laughed through his helmet as he fired a single shot with his blaster into the center of the target. 

“Hit as close to the original shot as you can get then,” I smiled before adding, “Without your helmet.” 

“Fine,” Fives laughed, taking off his helmet and setting it on the ground. He lifted his blaster and fired. He walked over to a nearby console and pressed a few buttons, causing his target to come up next to him. One of his holes was in the direct center of the target and the other hole was less than an inch below it, “That's surprisingly good. Try and beat that.” 

“Okay,” I smiled, pulling back a second arrow. I closed my eyes and let myself breathe. Let myself know my surroundings. I could feel the string on my cheek, hear other people gathering to watch, smell the wood from the arrows and bow, taste the moisture in the air. I opened my eyes and stared down at the target, everything else falling away. I fired the arrow and smiled as the first arrow was split down the middle. 

“What? How did you--” Fives asked, confusion written across his face. 

“Never challenge Mara when it comes to a bow and arrow,” Jules smiled, “Or target practice in general.”

I turned around to find Rex, Echo, Jesse, Kix, and Jules all watching us, along with one other clone. He had twin stripes running down the side of his right chest plate as well as two stripes tattoo down one side of his face. 

“I’m Hardcase,” the clone said, reaching out his hand. I was thoroughly surprised that Rex’s jaw didn’t drop to the floor. 

“Mara. Mara Kanto,” I smiled, shaking his hand. 

“How did you do that?” Hardcase asked, pointing to the arrows in my target. 

“Lots and lots of practice,” I smiled. 

“And skill,” Jules smiled, “You just have a natural talent for archery. And shooting in general.” 

“That’s your opinion,” I smiled. 

“Try everyone's,” Riley said, smiling like she just won the lottery. 

“You’re looking happy,” Fives noted. 

“Well all of my friends are in one piece, so there’s that,” Riley smiled. Nice save on her part. 

“Like you thought that we wouldn’t be,” I smiled. 

“Did Kix clear you yet? You still owe me a round,” Jules smiled. Last time Jules and I sparred, I won and said she had a chance at winning the next one. That was a few years ago.

“Yes he did,” I smiled, covering Kix’s mouth with my hand so he couldn’t contradict me. I mean he did clear me, but Jules didn’t need to know that I would have to go easy on her. 

“The way he’s looking at you isn’t helping,” Hardcase laughed.

I looked over at Kix, who was giving me a death glare. I mean full on squinting with his eyebrows furrowed in pure annoyance. 

“She has been,” Kix groaned, removing my hand so he could speak, “But she needs to take it easy.” 

“So I really will be able to beat you this time,” Jules smiled, “Wait a minute… eh, never mind.” 

“If there’s something I should know, then you should tell me,” Kix all but ordered. 

“Nope,” Jules smiled. I gave her the thank you look and followed her to a ring. 

We squared off, and I instantly backed up, kicking off my shoes. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see that most of the clones were confused. Kix on the other hand looked utterly shocked that I would do such a thing. I walked back and started circling with Jules again, though it was clear she was fighting a smile. 

Jules jumped at me out of nowhere and I instantly rolled out of the way. I rolled onto my feet and saw that Jules was whipping her hair into a bun. 

“Am I in trouble or something?” I smiled, making her laugh and lose focus. 

“Nope, I just couldn’t see,” Jules smiled. 

Jules chose then to become a blur and run around to behind me and held me so that I was in a choke hold. Now since when was I Slick? I used the back of my head and hit Jules in the forehead. Jules stumbled back and I went into autopilot. I elbowed Jules in the chest, spinning around in the process. We landed on the floor and somehow Jules’ leg was in my arm, ready for me to dislocate it. 

What was I doing? I wasn’t Slick.

My hands went slack and the autopilot was gone. Jules used the hesitation to her advantage and used her other leg to kick me in the head. Ow. I rolled back and got to my feet, Jules rising too. 

“You hesitated,” Jules noted, “How come?” 

“Would you rather have a dislocated hip?” I retorted. We had started circling again.

“That doesn’t answer the question,” Jules sang, “Was I not the only one having flashbacks from when… oh screw it. From when you hacked into the Republic security feed and saw Cody and Rex fighting Slick. Why did you even pick Slick?” 

“He was the only one with doubt. Add that to the fact that it was pretty clear that he would have gotten caught and he was perfect,” I growled. I tried kneeing Jules, but she easily blocked it.

“Why was he perfect? You worked for the Separatists,” Jules asked. 

“I hated it,” I said, suppressing a growl, “My goal was to hurt them in every way possible for as long as possible.” 

“Why?” Jules asked, blocking a very sloppy punch on my part. 

“They were killing people that didn’t deserve it,” I gasped. 

“Who?” Jules asked, blocking yet another sloppy attempt. 

“My parents, my brother,” I started, attempting to land a punch between every name. Every person, with no avail, “Hestia, Cutup, Heavy, Jango --”

“Anakin,” Jules interrupted, changing the list entirely as well as putting me on the defense, “Rex, Cody, Echo, Fives, our entire team. Boba. I get it, you are a perfectionist.” 

Now Jules had stopped attacking and was just talking to me, the rest of the room falling away. 

“Whenever something happens, no matter how miniscule, you find some way to blame yourself. Every name I said is alive because of you. Every name you said has only given you more reason, more determination to fight. I know that you blame yourself, for everything. But just, for once in your life, focus on the people that you helped.” 

I was speechless. Jules never said anything remotely like that. To anyone. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t right. 

“What?” I asked, looking up and seeing that she had just finished saying something. 

“I said not to make me mention the tusken raider incident,” Jules laughed. 

“They really did hate you guys,” I laughed. About a week after I met the Badass Batch, they somehow got themselves and Anakin and Reese captured. And I was the one that had to negotiate them out. It was not a fun night.

“Also,” Jules smiled, switching to Mando’a, “Kix doesn’t know you. I do. And if you’re going to fight me, fight the way you know you can. Not the way Kix thinks you can.” 

“Thanks,” I smiled in English. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Kix asked. I forgot that he, along with everyone else in the room, was there.

“Now,” Jules smiled, now back in English, “Rayshe’a laam?” 

“Like you had to ask,” I smiled.

“About time,” Riley smiled, jumping into the ring. 

“Wow, your patience is stunning,” I smiled. 

“Then you’ll really like my hand to hand,” Riley smiled, jumping next to Jules. They exchanged a quick glance and started walking on the opposite sides of me. 

“How many times have you done this now?” I asked, dodging Jules’ kick and catching Riley’s fist. 

“Clearly not enough,” Sam smiled, jumping into the ring. 

“Rayshe’a laam?” Carson asked, getting a nod in return.

Out of nowhere, Carson picked me up so that he could break me over his knee. I immediately went into a backbend so my back didn’t break. In shock, Carson’s grip loosened on my legs, just enough for me to slip out of his grip, kicking him in the face in the process.

“Look what I found,” Max shouted, running into the gym. 

I turned in time to see my hat held high above Max’s head. It was the same style as Cad’s, but had a black iridescent feather that shined green. 

“Max! No!” Riley shouted in pain. 

“We’re kriffed,” Carson stated. 

“Yes, yes you are,” I smiled, pulling the hat to my hand with the Force. 

Max immediately figured out what was going on and bolted for the blaster rack. I jumped out of the ring, my hat immediately changing to emulate Embo’s. Though mine was still dark brown with a black streak. 

Max fired shots at me, but I jumped over him, my head down so that the dish-hat took the shots. Don’t tell Embo I said that. Max fired a single shot at me, making me smile when I saw the targets behind him. 

A blue light shot at me. I had only done this once, and that was on accident, but why not? I pulled out my lightsabers, holding them backhand, and used the hooks on my knives to catch the shot. I used the momentum to guide the lazer around me, making sure to not cut myself with the lightsaber blades, and threw it back at Max. 

Max dove out of the way as the lazer went head over heels before hitting the center target. 

“Kyr!” Max shouted instantly. 

“Yup,” Riley shouted in agreement. 

“Well that was fun,” I smiled, placing the lightsabers back on my hips.

“Since when could you do that?” Anakin asked. At some point, Anakin and Obi-Wan had walked in and watched. It was then that I saw Ahsoka next to Anakin. 

“Since now,” I smiled. 

“Also, what is this I hear about Ahsoka wearing your jacket?” Sam asked. 

“I didn’t think that she would drop it in the middle of a hallway,” I shrugged. 

“Well if she knew who gave it to you, I’m sure she wouldn’t have,” Riley countered. She really sounded like a parent. 

“Wait, who gave it to you?” Ahsoka asked. Kinda forgot she was there. Oops. 

“Jango Fett,” I shrugged, “16th birthday.” 

“I didn’t know that he was one to give gifts,” Rex mused. 

“It was rare,” I smiled, “Something tells me that there’s a new plan.” 

“Yes there is,” Obi-Wan smiled, “Anakin is going to get captured.”


	14. Chapter 14

“So now what?” I asked Obi-Wan as we walked through the Resolute. It’s been a few days since Anakin was ‘captured’ and my stitches were removed. Having Anakin get captured by Dooku would give us a good chance at finally catching him.

“Now I go on a spacewalk,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“With all do respect, it may be smarter if I went with you,” I said to which I got a pointed look, “I know that ship like the back of my hand. I get you to Dooku without letting anything there know.” 

“Very well,” Obi-Wan nodded, “But that doesn’t mean that you should overexert yourself. Is that clear?” 

“Yes Master,” I nodded. 

In a few minutes we were out in space, drifting through the emptiness until we landed on the Sepratist Flagship. 

We boarded the ship and hung to the walls as we walked through the ship. When we came to where the guards were monitoring security, we ran through the door to the other side. Lining the walls were cells that mostly didn’t have a living thing inside. 

We walked down the hall until we came to a cell with life in it, but when we opened it, there were two weequay men sitting on the shelf. 

“Don’t bother getting up,” Obi-Wan shrugged, “You’re not the prisoner we’re looking for.” 

When the men started rushing at the door, Obi-Wan decided to close it on them. 

After a few minutes of searching, I spoke. 

“He’s in this one,” I said, pointing to a cell on our right. 

“If you say so,” Obi-Wan shrugged, opening the door to a seemingly empty cell.

We walked into the cell and there was a slight breeze as someone jumped down from the ceiling. Obi-Wan and I spun around, pulling out our lightsabers, to find that both of ours were pointed at Anakin’s forehead. 

“Oh, it’s you,” Anakin grumbled, getting up. Obi-Wan and I deactivated our lightsabers and looked up at him. 

“This is how you thank us for rescuing you,” Obi-Wan asked, “pouncing on us from the ceiling?” 

“Kind of difficult without a…” Anakin said, his eyes trailing to his lightsaber in my hand, “lightsaber. Thanks.”

“Did you manage to locate Dooku before you landed in jail?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Well, I know he’s on board,” Anakin shrugged as we walked out of the cell and down the hall, “Might have been able to do something about it if I’d had my weapon.” 

“It was important for you to arrive without it,” Obi-Wan pointed out, “so your capture would be convincing.” 

“Oh, they were convinced all right,” Anakin groaned, “But how come I’m the one getting captured all the time? It doesn’t look good.” 

“When you’re a Jedi Master, you can make the plans,” Obi-Wan countered. 

“That’s just it, how can I be a Jedi Master if I keep getting caught?” Anakin answered. I turned a corner, knowing that Dooku would be nearby. 

“At least you’re a master,” Obi-Wan smiled, “at getting caught.” 

“Very funny,” Anakin attempted to chastise.

“Yes, that’s why he said it,” I smiled, Anakin glaring at me in response.

We walked through one of the doors to find Count Dooku meditating at the end of the room, a window behind him.

“Surprise, surprise,” Anakin said, he, Obi-wan, and I all pulling out our lightsabers, “If it isn’t Count Dooku.” 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Dooku said, keeping his eyes shut, “I thought I sensed an unpleasant disturbance in the Force. I see you’ve freed young Skywalker. Where might he be if you weren't always around to rescue him? And my failure of an apprentice is with you. Has she told you of the tragedy of her girlfriend? Hestia, was it?”

“Your ship is surrounded, Count,” I said instantly through my gritted teeth, “Republic troops are boarding as we speak.” 

“Jedi fools,” Dooku growled, a trap door opening up underneath him so he fell down a chute. 

“I should have seen that coming,” Obi-Wan said as Anakin ran forward to the trapdoor, “What are you doing?”

“Following him,” Anakin said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Not that way, we need to cut him off,” Obi-Wan tried, but there wasn’t any point. 

“You cut him off,” Anakin responded instantly, “I’ll follow him and meet you at the hanger.” 

Anakin jumped down the hole and I turned to Obi-Wan, who sighed.

“Why do I even try?” 

Obi-Wan and I broke into a run out of the door to the docking bay. When we ran through the door to the docking bay, we were just in time to see Dooku boarding his ship.

Obi-Wan and I tried running after him, but the ship took off before we could really do anything. I turned around to see droids firing at us, walking around a shuttle.

“Master,” I shouted, “The shuttle.”

“Good thinking,” Obi-Wan acknowledged. 

We bolted toward the ship, reflecting any bolts that fired at us as we went. We clambered into the ship and immediately started flipping switches, levers, and pushing buttons. 

“I thought you were following Dooku?” Obi-Wan asked as Anakin ran in. Anakin moved into the seat next to me as I flew us out of the bay. 

“I was. I followed him here,” Anakin rushed quickly.

“Hang on,” I said, flying us out of the bay and after Dooku.

We shot after Dooku’s ship, which was basically a nut and I instantly hated it. The stupid thing was far more narrow than I would have liked. The one upside was that at least half of his ship was thruster, which made it an easy target for Anakin. 

“That was easy,” Anakin commented as he hit the heart of the thruster of Dooku’s ship. 

“Lucky for you, I’m an excellent shot,” Obi-Wan stated, “Now those fighters are after us.”

“On it,” I called over my shoulder, trying to maneuver around their shots. 

“He’s getting too close,” Anakin yelled at me. 

“Yes, because telling me that isn’t distracting at all,” I said as one of the thrusters got hit. 

“Lucky for you, I’m an excellent pilot,” Anakin commented, taking control of the ship. 

“I didn’t know ‘excellent pilot’ also meant ‘excellent at crashing’,” I snapped as the ship bounced across the surface of the planet. 

“For all your expertise, this isn’t a very smooth landing,” Obi-Wan commented. 

“Not. Helping,” Anakin grumbled, trying to focus on the crash. 

The ship bounced and shook as rocks tried to find their way into the ship. After the ship somehow stopped without breaking into nothing, we all climbed out.

“I’ve had better landings,” Obi-Wan commented. 

“Dooku,” Anakin said. Whether he was trying to keep the attention from him or trying to help was a total mystery. I turned around to see that ship safely landed, which is something that I wouldn’t really expect considering how much the engine was on fire. 

“A homing beacon?” Obi-Wan mumbled as we strode over to the ship. 

“Which means the distinguished Count is waiting for help,” Anakin reasoned, “So he can’t be far off.” 

“His engine is damaged,” I said, kneeling down to see the charcoaled engine, “He’s not going anywhere.” 

“Not without a homing beacon,” Anakin said, flicking his wrist so that his lightsaber disabled the beacon. 

“There,” I called ahead, pointing to the caves in front of us, “Caves would be a good start.” 

“Strange,” Anakin mumbled as we walked up to the caves. There were many life forms there, moving among one another. 

“You sense it too,” Obi-Wan noted, seeing how tense Anakin and I were, “Many life forms in there.” 

“And Dooku’s one of them,” I nodded, stepping into the caves. 

“Let’s try to get him before something else happens,” Anakin nodded, him and Obi-Wan walking in behind me. 

“So… who was Hestia?” Obi-Wan asked, measuring his words. Guess he knew it was a sensitive subject. 

“My partner,” I shrugged. I could see realization dawn on Anakin’s face from the corner of my eyes. 

“Your partner was your girlfriend?” Anakin asked, shock abundant on his face. 

“What happened?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“I was made Commander and I made the wrong call,” I shrugged, holding back the tears as much as I could, “I was already hated for loving both men and women, then Hestia died because of me.”

The caves fell into silence, only hearing the water dripping through the caves. There was a silence in the cave, opened through what I just said. It wasn’t quite awkward persay, more just unknowing. Soon the water droplets were replaced by rocks. 

“What’s that?” Anakin asked, looking up in time to see the rocks tumbling down over our heads. 

“Run!” I said, shoving Anakin out of the way of the rocks. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, though a rock the size of my head fell on my knee. 

A second rockslide soon followed, covering the entrance to the caves. 

“Master! Anakin!” I shouted, trying to use the echo to my advantage. 

“Obi-Wan, Mara! Can you hear me?” Anakin shouted, “Master!”

“Right here,” I said, limping toward a clearing where Anakin was shouting bloody murder. 

“Anakin, when we tell you to run, run,” Obi-Wan said before turning to me, “What happened to you?” 

“A rock decided to attack me,” I shrugged, keeping my weight off of my leg. 

“Master! Mara! You’re alive!” Anakin sighed. 

“And where is your lightsaber?” Obi-Wan asked Anakin after looking at my lightsabers, resting at my hips. 

“It got knocked out of my hand,” Anakin shrugged. 

“By a rock?” I asked. 

“Yeah, by a rock,” Anakin glared at me, “It’s gotta be here somewhere.” 

“That’s a feeble excuse,” Obi-Wan noted, “Are you alright?” 

“I’ll get a bruise, but other than that I’m fine,” I shrugged. 

“You know what would be helpful?” Anakin grumbled, “A little light.” 

“Certainly,” Obi-Wan smiled, turning on his lightsaber. The blue light flooded the room before fizzling out, “Silly thing. It was just working a minute ago.”

As Obi-Wan started hitting his lightsaber against his palm, Anakin threw a pebble at him with a smile, “You don’t suppose it was hit by a rock, do you?” 

“I got it Master,” I said, pulling out one of my lightsabers. A dim purple glow washed over the cave as hissing started from above us.

“This should be interesting,” Obi-Wan commented as the gundark jumped down right in front of us. 

I instantly pulled out my other lightsaber and held them backhanded. 

“Don’t you want to give me one?” Anakin asked, giving me ‘The Look’. 

“Uh… Padawan,” I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the gundark. 

It was then that the gundark decided to move. It took a few steps, then shot forward at Anakin, who made the smart choice of running like there was no tomorrow. 

There wasn’t any way to stop the gundark, only to tire it out. So while Anakin was being chased, I was looking for a way out and Obi-Wan was fixing his lightsaber. 

“Jump in anytime!” Anakin shouted as he ran up the side of a wall, “And a lightsaber would be nice.” 

“Oh, you’re doing fine,” I smiled, feeling the cave walls. 

“She seems to like you,” Obi-Wan called over his shoulder, peering through his lightsaber to see if anything was out of place. 

“Yeah, lucky me!” Anakin called, “This isn’t as much fun as it looks. I thought gundarks were only found on Vanqor.” 

“Then this must be the Vanqor system,” I groaned. 

“Then that would make this one…” Anakin trailed off, ducking underneath the gigantic claws. 

“The mother of all gundarks,” I shrugged. 

“Precisely,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“Are you gonna help me?” Anakin groaned as the gundark continued to drag him across the bottom of the cave. 

I smiled at Obi-Wan before we both lifted up a few boulders and threw them at the gundark, giving Anakin time to duck away. 

“Well, you two took your time,” Anakin commented, running so that he was next to us. 

We started pelting the gundark with rocks, knocking down the rocks above her so that it caved in. Something told me that she wouldn’t be getting back up. 

“It’s a pity. I was just sensing a connection,” Anakin sighed. 

“Should we leave you two alone, or would you prefer to find a way out of this hole before she wakes up?” Obi-Wan smiled. 

“Definitely the latter,” I nodded, knowing that we needed to get out of here fast. 

We walked for a few minutes with no exit in sight. At this point, it was almost definite that we were walking in circles. There was a rustling behind us, and I could sense another gundark. 

“Sounds like another gundark,” I noted. 

“It’s too far away to worry about,” Anakin shrugged.

“It won’t stay far away,” Obi-Wan warned. 

Anakin and Obi-Wan dropped a boulder on the cave surface. But of course the ground cracked underneath the boulder, green gas flooding into the chamber. 

“New problem,” Anakin commented. Thank you Captain Obvious. 

“That’s not good,” Obi-Wan commented. 

“It’s just gas,” Anakin shrugged, like it wasn’t a problem at all. 

“Probably-- toxic gas,” I coughed out. 

“That’s good,” Obi-Wan stated, giving me a sympathetic look, “Maybe it will kill your gundark.” 

“Maybe it will kill  _ us _ ,” I wheezed out. 

“Come on, let's get out of here,” Anakin said. My head was starting to get lighter. I tried to walk, but the gas was making my head fuzzy. I tried walking and fell to my knees instead. 

“This isn’t going to work,” Anakin said, trying to lift me up. He pulled one of his arms around my waist, causing my arm to fall over his shoulders. 

I put one foot in front of the other as we walked toward what I hoped against hope was the exit. My breaths were getting more and more shallow by the second and I don’t know how long I could hold out. We made it to the wall, but I was too weak to move any of the rocks.

“I can’t… breathe,” I gasped, collapsing onto the ground with Obi-Wan soon following. 

“As always, I’m open to suggest…” Obi-Wan trailed off. 

“Come on Obi-Wan, don’t give up now,” Anakin tried, falling to the ground. 

Out of nowhere, the wall of boulders blew up and away. The light shone over my face as a rush of oxygen flooded my lungs. I was getting stronger by the second, and I could at least breathe again. 

“Master,” Ahsoka called, “Looks like I got here just in time.” 

I stumbled to my feet, Anakin and Obi-Wan behind us. I was still coughing like crazy as Anakin tried to make it look like he knew what he was doing. 

“What do you mean ‘Just in time’?” Anakin asked. He always tried to make it look like he was in control. 

“You were in very big trouble,” Ahsoka pointed out. I decided to stay out of this. It would be more fun to just watch anyway. 

“Trouble?” Obi-Wan asked, “We were simply searching for Count Dooku.”

“We had the situation well under control, my young Padawan,” Anakin tried, only resulting in both Ahsoka and myself giving him ‘The Look’. 

“I see,” Ahsoka shrugged, “So, which part of the situation did you have under control? The blocked entrance, the poisonous gas, or that gundark behind you?” 

“Gundark?” Anakin wondered as I walked over to where Ahsoka was. 

“You mean the one that was too far away to worry about?” I asked. 

“What happened to you?” Ahsoka asked, gesturing to my limp. 

“I got hit by a boulder,” I shrugged.

“Block the entrance,” Ahsoka ordered. Three clones stepped in front of us and started firing at the top of the caves as the gundark ran at the entrance. In a second, the cave entrance had collapsed a second time, locking the gundark in. 

“There’s still Dooku to deal with,” Anakin said, walking back to a ship. 

“You let him get away?” Ahsoka questioned. 

“No, not get away exactly. Just… “ Anakin trailed off as Ahsoka’s brows furrowed. His eyes flicked to Obi-Wan, “Chime in. Anytime.” 

“Oh no. I’m enjoying this far too much,” Obi-Wan smiled. 

Anakin turned to me and I threw my hands up in surrender, “You’re on your own."


	15. Chapter 15

“You guys are going to Florrum?” I asked. If Anakin and Obi-Wan were going to Florrum, then I needed to be there. If I wasn’t, then Hondo was going to try and drug them so that he would get triple the profit. 

“Yes, we are,” Obi-Wan nodded, “And it was specifically said that two knights would be going.” 

“Master, this is a trap,” I tried as we walked down the halls of the temple, out to the ships. 

“We’ll be careful,” Anakin tried. 

“That’s what you said before getting captured by tusken raiders,” I countered.

“I was four,” Anakin pointed out. 

“We will be alright Mara,” Obi-Wan assured before walking over to the ship with Anakin in tow. 

“That’s what they always say,” I mumbled as soon as they were out of earshot. 

I walked off of the docking bay and closed my eyes. The city was bustling with energy and worry, though that worry varied from something small to astronomically important. At least in that person’s eyes. The sounds of vendors, speeders, and people in general all faded away as I reached out further into the galaxy. Cad was working some job, but he always got lost in his work to begin with. Embo was working with Sugi and the others, as usual. I still couldn’t find Boba, but he wasn’t the one I was looking for. 

As usual, I found Hondo on Florrum, but there was something different about the way he was thinking. Most of the time, he would think about the immediate profit, not the long game. But now he was putting more thought into what he was doing. More strategically, which isn’t something Hondo does. 

Something was wrong. Very wrong. 

~*~*~

“So you must be Jar Jar Binks,” I nodded. The gungan representative was looking at me with a perplexed look on his face. There were four other clones there, but the main negotiator and pilots were both dead.

In the past half hour, I have been shot at repeatedly by some of Hondo’s men, chased through a forest, and forced to crash in a kriffing crater. R3 would not be happy if he could see this situation, but thankfully he was covering for me on Coruscant. From there I ran to the crashed ship, where the clones and Jar Jar had lost the spice. 

“Yessa, meesa Jar Jar Binks,” Jar Jar nodded, “Who are yousa?” 

“I’m Mara. Mara Kanto. Obi-Wan’s Padawan,” I nodded. 

“Ani talked about yousa many, many times,” Jar Jar nodded. 

“I suggest that we wait here for the Republic to arrive,” The clone with the red stripe nodded at us. 

“Wait?” Jar Jar asked in disbelief, “Ani and Obi are waiting for us to deliver the spice.” 

“These pirates are on speeders, how are we going to catch them?” The clone asked. 

“Messa haven a idea,” Jar Jar smiled as I looked out to the nerfs on the field. 

“I see what you’re getting at,” I smiled, “How many of you know how to ride?” 

“All of us sir,” The clone responded. 

“Good,” I smiled. I called out to the Force, taming the nerf’s and giving them a loose enough connection so that they wouldn’t throw off whoever was riding them. I pressed my fingers to my lips and whistled, calling over five of them, “Everyone get on.” 

In a few minutes, we had mounted and were riding after the speeders. Even though it was clear the clones were used to riding speeders. 

As soon as we were in range, both sides started opening fire. I pulled out one of my lightsabers and started deflecting blaster bolts at the pirates. 

“Jedi!” one of the pirates shouted before I deflected a bolt into his leg, causing him to fall off of his speeder. Geysers started erupting, making more of the speeders crash. I maneuvered my nerf around the geysers and continued deflecting the bolts until all the speeders were down. 

“Gather what’s left of the spice, hopefully not all of the containers opened up,” I ordered, “We’ll set up on that ridge.” 

“Yessir,” one of the clones nodded. 

We ran for cover at the ridge and set up camp, the red clone keeping lookout in case anything comes and tries to kill us. Again. 

“We’ve gathered all the spice we could, but some was still destroyed,” one of the clones told me when we got to the ridge. 

“Well, there goes plan A, maybe,” I shrugged. 

“Yousa have’n a plan B?” Jar Jar asked, turning away from the ridge that he rested on. 

“Yeah, it’s a cheap shot, but it’ll work,” I shrugged. 

Jar Jar turned back to the ridge and I tried to breathe. The spice was lost, almost. Hondo’s first mate, who’s name I hadn’t even bothered remembering, was probably behind the attack, trying to keep us from getting Obi-Wan and Anakin back. Hondo wouldn’t try that move, no matter the amount of credits involved. It would risk a war with the Republic. 

“Bombad clankers!” Jar Jar shouted. 

“What there aren’t any--” Red started looking in the wrong direction of the dust clouds rising. 

“No, not there,” Jar Jar groaned, grabbing the clone and shoving him so that he could see the three tanks coming at us. 

“You’re right. Bombad clankers,” Red nodded, “Look, I need you to go out there and negotiate with those pirates.” 

“Messa no like’n this plan, but it’s what messa thinkin Senator Clarason woulda done,” Jar Jar nodded, walking out to the tanks. 

“He’s going to get himself killed,” one of the clones from behind me responded. 

“Hey,” I grumbled. 

“He’s smarter than he looks,” Red defended. 

I watched from the cover that we had, up until Jar Jar started being… well… Jar Jar. I saw him fall, and in a second one of the tanks had crashed into a power line. The one Jar Jar was on basically self destructed from what I could see.

“Kill him!” one of the pirates shouted. 

“He’s no representative, he’s a plague!” the second one exclaimed. 

In a second, I had run over and was holding my lightsaber to the first pirates back. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Mara Kanto?” one of the pirates asked, “That nuisance is with you?” 

“Yes, and if you value your limbs, you’ll get out,” I all but ordered.

“Yes ma’am,” the pirate nodded, climbing out of the tank as fast as he could. 

“Load up the spice,” I ordered. The faster we got loaded up, the faster we could get to Hondo.

“Yes sir,” Red nodded. 

In a few minutes, the spice was loaded and we were riding toward Hondo’s base.

“How did yousa know where the base was?” Jar Jar asked as we started pulling up to it. 

“The power lines,” I shrugged. It was technically true, but I didn’t want to say that Hondo was one of my teachers. Purely in negotiation. His first lesson was literally ‘Speak softly and drive a big tank’. 

“Approach us, and he dies,” Anakin said, while holding Hondo with his lightsaber around his neck. 

“It seems your reinforcements have been destroyed,” Hondo smiled. 

“You’re right. Driving a big tank is fun,” I smiled, opening the hatch. 

“Mara!” Hondo called, knowing that he was in trouble, “You’re with the Jedi?”

“You are supposed to be on Coruscant,” Obi-Wan chastised. 

“Master, with all do respect, one of the first lessons a person can learn is when not to follow directions. Also, I did tell you something was going to happen, did I not?” I smiled. 

“I see where you get your personality from,” Obi-Wan nodded at Anakin. 

“Ani, Obi!” Jar Jar shouted, coming up next to me, “Wessa have arriven with the spicen.” 

“Jar Jar!” Anakin exclaimed. 

“That’s assuming the pirates still have Count Dooku to trade,” Obi-Wan commented. Right on time, one of Hondo’s ships rose into the air and it was painfully obvious that Dooku was flying it. 

“Nope,” I sighed at the same time Anakin nodded, “That answers that question.” 

“And now you are going to arrest me,” Hondo sighed as we started walking over to a cruiser that just landed. 

“No. Anakin let him go,” Obi-Wan sighed. 

“What?”

“Captain, you have nothing we want. And since we’re not your prisoners anymore, you have no bargaining power,” Obi-Wan reasoned. 

“What? Yousa in bombad trouble? Wesa rescued you!” Jar Jar smiled. 

“No, Jar Jar, we weren’t in any trouble,” Anakin panicked. 

‘Really?’ I mouthed at Anakin, glaring at him, only for him to mirror me. 

“Let’s leave on even terms,” Obi-Wan nodded. We started up the ramp when Hondo called us again. 

“Hold. Hold. Jedi, after everything, you’re just going to walk away?” 

“We have no quarrel with you and seek no revenge,” Obi-Wan nodded. 

“Indeed. Very honorable, Master Jedi. And if you had Mara with you, we could have avoided this whole ordeal.” 

“Oh, Captain, you will find that Count Dooku does not share our sense of honor,” Obi-Wan commented, “And he knows where you live.” 

We walked up the deck of the ship, and of course Jules and Riley were the first around the corner. I could tell that they were about to say something, but were interrupted instantly. 

“Ijaat Akay Kyr'am Mara Kanto!” Hondo’s first mate shouted. 

“Mara, you know that you can--” Jules started, but I was already down the ramp. 

“Tomorrow at sundown,” I responded, holding out my hand. 

“Done,” the weequay nodded, shaking my hand. 

“Master, I’m going to have to stay here for the foreseeable future,” I said turning to Obi-Wan. 

“Mara, what’s Ijaat Akay Kyr'am?” Anakin asked. 

“They wouldn’t know, the Jedi don’t know anything about the Guild,” one of Hondo’s crew members grumbled. 

“Ijaat Akay Kyr'am is a battle to the death,” Hondo nodded, “The last one to happen was over a century ago.” 

“What?!” Anakin exclaimed, “So she could die?” 

“I’ve almost died before,” I shrugged, playing away at the biggest thing present, “Now are you going to stay for the night, or are you going to leave?” 

“Oh, we’re staying,” Anakin responded instantly. 

~*~*~

“How many?” I asked Hondo. I was currently in one of the many spare rooms, getting ready for the fight. No one in the guild knows that I hadn’t killed before, so hopefully I can use that. Well, no one but Hondo, Cad, and Embo. I would have said Jango too… but… Geonosis.

The room was small, there was only a bed and a shelf for furniture. Knowing Hondo, he was keeping the big room to himself. There was a small basin of water in the corner with a cloth in, like they were expecting me to take a bath.

“The entire guild showed up,” Hondo sighed, “After all, it isn’t every day that there’s a Ijaat Akay Kyr'am. You know the rules.” 

“Yeah,” I sighed, holding out my hands. Hondo placed strips of metal around my wrists that started glowing blue as soon as they made contact. I could feel the Force being pulled away and I hated it, but knew that I had to at the same time. If I used the Force, I would be exiled from the guild. Then everyone would want to kill me. 

I pulled out my lightsabers and gave them to Hondo. 

“Aren’t these the knives that Cad Bane gave you?” Hondo asked, tilting his head to the side so that he could see them better. 

“They have lightsaber components, so I put my crystals in them,” I shrugged. 

“I know that you prefer knives, so take these,” Hondo smiled. 

Hondo held out his hands to and in them rested dual knives. I pulled them out of the dark leather sheath and a small smile found its way to my face. They had a sliver hilt with braided black leather wrapped around them. The blades themselves were obsidian and edged silver. 

“Thanks,” I tried to smile.

“You know that you have to,” Hondo sighed.

“That doesn’t mean I want to,” I shrugged. 

“I need to go make sure that everything is set up,” Hondo sighed. 

“Okay,” I sighed. Hondo walked out of the room and I couldn’t really think about… well… anything. I slid the knives back into their sheaths, tying them to my belt. I pulled my jacket around my shoulders, my fingers grazing the patch. On the inside of the left of my jacket was a patch that signiied me as a guild member. The yellow, green, and black symbol brought back so many memories at once. 

Meeting Boba. Jango giving me the patch. Training with Cad and Embo. My first job with Jango. Raising Boba. My 16th birthday. Hestia. 

No. I couldn’t think about that now. I pulled my hat over my face just in time for one of Hondo’s men to come in. 

“It’s time,” the weequay nodded, “It was nice knowing you.” 

“Wish I could say the same,” I grumbled, following him out of the room. 

We walked down a few halls until we came to a few double doors. My thumb subconsciously rubbed the end of the hilt. I could hear the crowds on the other side of the doors. Even without the Force, I knew that there were more people than I could have liked. I knew that the family box would have Cad, Embo, and Anakin. And maybe Hondo. 

The doors opened in front of me and I had no choice but to walk out. 

I brought my hands up to shield my eyes from the blinding sun. As my eyes adjusted, I could see everyone. Hondo wasn’t kidding when he said the entire guild came. A few of the pirate clans were here too. The family box had Cad and Embo, with Anakin looking very uncomfortable between them. Behind them was Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Cam, Seam, Ral, Jules, Riley, Carson, Sam, Max, Colin. And behind them was Cody, Rex, Fives, and Echo. 

“Let the Ijaat Akay Kyr'am begin,” Cradossk proclaimed. 

The Weequay immediately charged at me, pulling out old fashioned dual swords. I dove out of the way of the blades, my hat flying off my head to god knows where, only for one of them to graze my left leg. I tried to get some distance from him, only to find that the cut was much deeper than I thought, rendering me unable to walk.

“You are in over your head,” the Weequay laughed from behind me. 

In one quick movement, I unsheathed and threw one of my knives, embedding it in the Weequay’s leg. 

“Gah,” he cried out, pulling it out of his leg, only to look up in time to see my fist flying at his face. I let myself feel a small amount of satisfaction as his nose crunched under my knuckles. 

He stumbled back, blood gushing from his nose and his weight almost entirely on one leg. 

“Do it,” the Weequay smiled, making me realize that the other dagger was in my hand, “Prove that you can kill. You are in every right, but will you actually make the blow? After all, you’ve never killed before.”

A wave of gasps swallowed the arena and I tried not to look over at where Cad and Embo were no doubt trying to hide their panic. 

Without even thinking, I threw the knife. It embedded it in the weequay’s chest, dark blood starting to drip from it. The blood ran down the front of his shirt, dying it a dirty, wet color. He stumbled forward a few steps before collapsing into the dust below him. 

Cheers from the audience washed over me, celebrating the fact that I had killed someone. I couldn’t turn to where everyone was watching, my eyes could only see the growing puddle of blood coming from the man’s chest. I didn’t even know his name. I couldn’t do this. I could feel his blood running down my knuckles and I hated it. 

I didn’t know what to do, so I limped out of the arena, somehow making it back to my room. I immediately reached for the cloth in the basin. 

“Let me,” Cad sighed, coming in through the door. He picked up the cloth and started cleaning the blood from my knuckles. My eyes couldn’t stop watching the blood as it swirled in the water. 

A hand started rubbing against my back and I knew without looking that it was Embo. All in all, with this makeshift family, Cad was the father, Embo was the older brother, and Hondo was the crazy uncle.

“The first kill is always the hardest,” Embo sighed in Kyuzo, his native language. 

“There shouldn’t have been a first kill,” I sighed, fighting the tears coming to my eyes. 

“There comes a time that every hunter must end a life,” Cad sighed, moving onto the cut on my leg, “Whether the hunter wants to end a life or not is irrelevant. The fact that you didn’t shows that you are the best of us. You follow the rules of the Jedi, and that of the Guild.” 

“Ow,” I hissed as Cad pressed the rag to my calf so that he would halt the bleeding, “That’s coming from the man that has turned down the guild on numerous occasions.” 

“She has a point,” Embo laughed before eying the injury that was still oozing blood, “That will need stitches.” 

“Thanks Captain Obvious,” I grumbled. I did my best to ignore the needle as it dove in and out of my skin. 

“Mara are you--” Anakin started, bursting through the door. This must have been quite the scene. Embo trying to make sure I didn’t have a full on panic attack right now. Cad sewing my leg shut. And me, bleeding all over the place and trying not to cry or do anything really, “What are you two doing here?” 

“We are taking care of Mara,” Cad snapped, keeping his eyes on my leg, “And you yelling at me isn’t helping me focus.” 

“Excuse me?” Anakin snapped, “She is  _ my  _ sister.  _ I  _ should be the one taking care of her.” 

“Then why is it that you weren’t here before us?” Embo asked, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees and his chin in his hands. 

The argument only increased from there. Ahsoka, Rex, and Hondo all joined in from there. Cody, Fives, and Echo were staying back with Obi-Wan, not really knowing what to do. The Outcasts were staying out of this all together, they knew what was going on. The shouting was just getting louder and louder, the pounding in my head matching it. 

“Would you all just SHUT UP!?” I screamed. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was staring at me with a look of pure shock. I hadn’t ever yelled like that. Ever, “You’re all so wound up on the fact that you don’t like the other side of my surrogate family, that you don’t see that they are my  _ family _ .” 

“They’re bounty hunters,” Anakin tried, thinking that something would change. 

“They are more than just a job,” I sighed, “That’s like saying that you’re just a Jedi and nothing else.”

“They don’t have any rules of any kind,” Ahsoka tried. Fine, I won’t play around anymore. 

“No bounty is worth dying for. People don’t have bounties, only acquisitions have bounties. Capture by design, kill by necessity. No hunter shall slay another hunter. No hunter shall interfere with another’s hunt. In the hunt, one captures or kills-- never both. No hunter shall refuse aid to another hunter,” I recited, lifting a finger for every sentence. 

“And I stand corrected,” Ahsoka grumbled. 

“They are my family and if you can’t deal with that fact, then you can leave,” I ordered, turning my eyes to the floor.

“Mara, I didn’t-- I don’t-- Please just--,” Anakin tried, “They are bounty hunters. They have no loyalty and they will stab you in the back the first chance they get. And before you counter that they aren’t like any other hunter, that they were like Jango Fett, they aren’t. Jango Fett stayed for the credits. Nothing more.”

“Skywalker,” Cad cautioned, knowing what was going to happen. 

“Get out,” I growled. Anakin made the wrong move to say that about Jango. If Anakin had any sense whatsoever, he would be running for the hills. 

“No,” Anakin objected, “You can’t order me around for more than one reason. You are my sister and I--” 

“If you really think that Jango was in it for the credits, then why did he give up everything to protect his son? Including his life?” I ordered a second time. I lifted my eyes to Anakin. I don’t know what he saw, but I know that he saw something that scared him, “Get. Out.” 

“Mara, what could you possibly know?” Anakin asked, trying to brave through me. That wasn’t going to happen. 

“More than you,” I glared, “I was there for Jango and Boba. I almost died numerous times so that they could survive and Jango did the same. He wasn’t in it for the credits. Boba was everything to Jango. And if you asked Obi-Wan, he would tell you the same.” 

“She’s telling the truth,” Obi-Wan sighed, “I saw the way that he looked at his son, and it was something that we as Jedi can never feel.” 

“You’re a decade late for that,” Embo nodded, his gaze boring into the side of my head. It would have been my eyes, but they were firmly trained on the ground.


	16. Chapter 16

I wasn’t talking to Anakin. Ahsoka and Rex apologized. Anakin refused to. Said that he would be lying to himself if he did. 

“Mara,” Jedi Master Aayla Secura asked. Obi-Wan thought that it was best for me to learn under a different master, like Ahsoka did, for the next few days. It’s been a week since Florrum and I was currently standing on the command deck of a venator, “Are you alright? Your Master told me about Florrum.” 

“As alright as I can be,” I sighed, “I just want Anakin to see that not everything is one-sided. Just because they’re bounty hunters doesn’t mean that they’re heartless. Cad and Jango were like fathers to me. And Embo a brother. They’re the reason I’m still alive.”

“But are you ready to let them go?” Aayla asked. 

“Every day, Master,” I sighed, “Because of their job, despite the creed, there is still a very high chance that they could be killed. Especially on outer rim jobs.” 

“So you love them, but lack an attachment to them,” Aayla wondered, “I have never heard of such a thing.” 

“It comes with being a part of the guild,” I sighed.

Everything went cold. 

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. 

~*~12 hours later~*~

Everything has gone to hell. Four Sepratist flagships came in out of nowhere, completely outnumbering and demolishing us.

“Our shields are gone!” one of the troopers shouted from the command center. 

“Hurry, Skywalker, we’re depending on you,” Aayla whispered. 

“Come on Ani,” I sighed. 

I held onto a nearby dashboard to steady myself. I could put all my weight on my left leg now, but it would be another few days before I could fight at full force. The ship was shaking and droids were flying from the ships. 

“Commander, get out there and stop those droids!” Aayla ordered. 

“I’m on it,” Bly nodded, running off. 

“Master,” I smiled, looking up from the dashboard I had fallen on, “Skywalker’s here.” 

“And none too soon,” Aayla nodded. 

“Sir, droids have started entering the ship,” one of the troopers warned. 

“On it,” I nodded instantly. I ran out of the main deck and immediately met with way too many B2s, “Really?” 

They stared firing blaster bolts at me, which I quickly deflected back at them with my lightsaber. I continued running down the hall until I came to a very large battalion. My leg was killing me, so I put my lightsabers away and closed my eyes. When they all fired at once, I curved the bolts upward and guided them so that they would hit all of the droids. 

“Since when could you do that?” Ahsoka asked, coming around the corner. 

“Since now,” I smiled. We ran around the corner and came face to face with everyone else, “Fancy meeting you here.” 

We started running at the droids, cutting them down, when Aayla had a very sensible question, “Nice entrance Skywalker. How do you plan on getting us out of this mess?” 

“Well,” Anakin groaned, “I have a ship docking in the lower hanger as we speak.” 

“Always planning ahead,” I smiled. 

We turned the corner to meet a lone B1 droid that attempted to order us around. 

“Hold it.” 

The doors behind it slid open to reveal a small battalion of B1s and B2s. 

“Ah ha!” the droid laughed, thinking it had won. We put away our weapons and ran in the opposite direction so that we would get out of this death trap alive. 

We ran around the corner to where the ship was docking, just in time for an explosion to chase us. We all ran to the ship, or so I thought. The doors had started closing and we were jumping over the sheets of metal, but something pushed us the rest of the way. 

I spun around as the doors continued to close, “Anakin!” 

“I’m sorry,” he mouthed, turning around as the doors shut. 

I immediately pulled out my lightsabers as the ship started to shake. I thrusted them as far into the doors as they would go and curved them so that a circle was made. I pressed my shoulder against the circle as hard as I could, pushing it through. When the circle fell out to the other side, I could see Anakin lying on the ground, surrounded by flames. 

Ahsoka ran through the hole, me just behind her, and knelt down next to Anakin. 

“He still has a pulse,” Ahsoka sighed, grabbing his arm and starting to drag him. 

I grabbed onto his other arm and started to drag him. We had just made it out of the ship and into the funnel when Aayla ran around the corner. 

“Ahsoka, Mara. We need to leave now,” Aayla ordered as we continued to drag Anakin into the ship. 

“Ahsoka let go,” I nodded. Ahsoka skeptically nodded, taking a step back from Anakin’s limp body. I lifted him up with the Force and we started running toward the ship. As soon as we were on, the doors shut behind us and a voice sounded over the PA. 

“Gateway release!” 

The ship made a full u-turn in a second and started flying toward Anakin’s venator. I placed him on the bed in the med bay, activating the medical droid. The droid walked over, starting to treat him as I ran to the cockpit. 

“You’ll never be able to dock with our ship in the middle of this battle,” Yularen’s voice said through the speakers. 

“We have no choice, Admiral,” Aayla explained, “General Skywalker’s condition may be critical. We must get him onboard the Resolute.” 

“We can make it if I fly,” I responded, the pilot immediately getting ready to move out of his seat. 

“Are all jedi so reckless?” Yularen asked at the same time Rex asked, “You’re a pilot?” 

“Just the good ones,” Aayla smiled. 

The pilot quickly slid out of his seat, me sliding in right after him. I flipped a few switches and used the Force to hold Anakin on the bed. 

“You might want to hold onto something,” I warned, grabbing the switch for the thruster. I had been flipping ‘The Forbidden Switches’ as Cody called them, making it much faster, but also more likely to crash. The ship shot off like a rocket and I started barrel rolling through the droids and the ships, pulling up to the docks of the Resolute in under 30 seconds. 

I got out of the seat, resetting the switches. I bolted down the hall to the med bay, only to make it halfway. 

An explosion rocked the ship, knocking me into a wall. 

“The hyperdrive’s been activated,” Bly shouted, his voice carrying through the ship. 

I ran back to the cockpit, which had completely descended into madness. Yularen was all but screaming instructions at Aayla, which Bly couldn’t follow through on. I opened a nearby panel and started reconnecting wires so that we could actually detach in one piece. There was no way we would be able to disengage the hyperdrive in time. 

We shot into hyperspace and I started to breathe again. I didn’t even notice I had stopped. 

“Figure out where we’re going to come out of hyperspace,” I ordered Bly. 

“Yessir,” Bly nodded, getting to work on the computer. 

I walked to the med bay to find Ahsoka at his side. 

“He’s the toughest person I know. If anyone can pull through, it’s him,” I sighed, looking down at Anakin. He had a gas mask over his mouth and nose. I hated it. That it acted like it was the only thing keeping him alive and not his stubbornness that the Jedi forgot about. 

“I need you two with Commander Bly up on the bridge right now,” Aayla ordered. 

“I should stay,” Ahsoka declined, “Commander Bly doesn’t need my help. Anakin does.” 

“Ahsoka, we can’t help Anakin if we’re dead,” I sighed. 

“You can help Anakin by getting this ship to safety,” Aayla reasoned. 

“General Secura,” Commander Bly said, walking into the med bay, “we have a problem.” 

“What is it Commander?” Aayla asked, turning to Bly. He carried himself differently from the other clones. The way that he looked at Aayla showed that he saw her as a sister, letting him relax around her. He had his hair buzz cut like Rex’s, but kept it black. 

“In our haste to escape, the navicomputer’s coordinates were put in incorrectly,” Bly nodded, walking over to the computer. He turned it on to show us our ship, which was going straight at a star, “And, well, we’re headed right for a star.” 

I bolted to the cockpit with everyone else seconds behind me. I ran to the dashboard and tried to get an estimation for how long before we hit the star while moving my fingers around the constant sparks.

“Any ideas?” Rex asked, getting up as everyone else started pouring in. 

“Well, we’ll have 45 seconds if we get out of hyperspace,” I commented. 

“It’s no use. The navigation’s computers are completely fried. Even if we could get out of hyperspace, we couldn’t get back in,” Bly sighed, slamming his fist against the dashboard.

“We don’t have to,” I said, looking at the holomap, “If we shut down all the power circuits, we could reset the coordinates. We could use the gravitational pull from the star to shoot around it. Best case scenario, we are back into hyperspace. Worst case, we crash on a planet. ” 

“That would cut off Anakin’s life support,” Ahsoka protested. 

“I don’t like it anymore than you do, but it’s a risk we’ll have to take,” Aayla countered. 

“Leave it to me,” I mouthed to Ahsoka so that only she could see. 

I slipped out of the cockpit, making sure that no one saw me, then bolted to the medbay. I pulled off my belt and looped it around a handlebar next to Anakin. I kept the belt around my waist and tightened it so that I was as up against the metal as I could be while still being able to reach Anakin.

“You’re going to need to lock down,” I told the medical droid. 

“On three,” Ahsoka shouted. I placed my hands on both of Anakin’s shoulders and watched the monitors, “One. Two. Three!” 

On three, the power shut off, plunging the room into total darkness, the medical droid’s eyes being the only light. I was thrown back a few inches, the back of my head hitting the bar. 

The pain was quick and immediate, but I couldn’t worry about that now. I kept my hands grounded on Anakin’s shoulders and connected with the Force, closing my eyes and the world falling away. I let the life force around me breathe in and out of Anakin, while keeping his own there. If the life force kept moving through him, then there was no way that he could die.

I heard two thumps and there was an immediate brightness through my eyelids. I opened my eyes to see that the lights were on, along with almost everything. Everything but the life support systems. 

I closed my eyes for the second time and started rebuilding the connection that I had only seconds ago. I let everything fall away. The hum of the droid, the lights in my eyes. The doors of the med bay opening. 

The ship started skipping across the surface of the planet, forcing me to bend my knees with it so I didn’t get knocked into something. When the ship finally came to a stop, I immediately undid the belt-- which it being much looser than it was when I first started. I pulled the belt off and threw it aside, slipping my shoulder underneath Anakin’s unconscious body. 

“What are you doing here?” Aayla asked as she and Ahsoka ran into the room, smoke curling around their features. 

“Wait until we’re out of the burning metal,” I shouted over the rapidly growing crackling of the fire, growing as the flame did. I pulled Anakin off of the bed, Ahsoka coming up on Anakin’s other side to help carry him. 

We sprinted out of the ship, a tidal wave of fire licking our heels. Ahsoka and I set Anakin on the ground, bending over in exhaustion. I placed my hand on the back of my neck and sighed at feeling only a slight bump, no blood. 

“Well, we made it,” Aayla sighed, “and Master Skywalker is still alive.” 

“I’m just glad he wasn’t awake to see that landing,” Ahsoka gasped. 

“He would have been proud,” Aayla smiled. 

“I’ve certainly perfected the art of demolitioning ships and almost getting my master killed,” Ahsoka sighed. 

The next few minutes were spent in silence as a tent was set up and Anakin was moved underneath it. There were burns running up and down his arms. I walked over to the tall grasses and pulled up a few stalks. I ran my fingers up and down the rough stalks, remembering that they could be ground into a paste to treat burns. 

I picked up a flat stone and a more pointed stone. I walked back to the tent and started stripping the outer layer of the stalks. I felt like I had been here before, but I couldn’t place what planet this was.

“Anakin doesn’t have much time,” I sighed, looking over at Anakin’s unconscious body, “We have to find help tonight.” 

“Okay, you, Aayla and Bly go south,” Ahsoka suggested, “Rex and I will stay here with Anakin.” 

“No, Ahsoka,” Aayla sighed, “In order to get help quickly, we must work together.” 

“I can’t leave him,” Ahsoka snapped, “Master, I know that if I was hurt, he’d never leave me behind.” 

“I know this is hard Ahsoka,” Aayla sighed, “But Anakin has to stay behind, and we have to go now. There is nothing more we can do for him. We must do all we can to get off this planet. As a Jedi, you must do what is best for the group.” 

“Mara, you have to support me on this,” Ahsoka tried, turning to me. Until now, I had been grinding the grasses and they were now a green gooey paste. Almost like a cream. 

“Ahsoka,” I sighed, looking up at her, “It would be more strategic for Rex and I to stay. I can treat some of Anakin’s wounds now and Rex has some of the better scopes here. And it would be illogical to separate a team that has been working together since before the war started. You go with Aayla and her troops, Rex and I will be fine.” 

“General Secura,” Bly called, walking over to us holding a stone tablet, “We’re not the only ones here on this planet. There’s got to be some kind of… something here.”

“Let me see that,” I said, angling the tablet so I could see the markings. There were what looked like a humanoid fighting a mastiff phalone at the base of a giant tree. That’s where I had known this planet, “You need to go south. A day's walk away should be a colony. I never saw them, so I wouldn’t be of any help in terms of negotiation.” 

“And how exactly do you know that?” Aayla asked, turning to me. 

“This isn’t the first time I’ve crashed here,” I nodded, “But that shouldn’t change the plan.” 

“Do the people know you?” Bly asked. 

“It was more of a ‘I’ll only bother you if you make the first move’ kind of thing,” I shrugged. 

“The plan will stay the same,” Aayla nodded, “Rex and Mara stay with Anakin. Everyone Bly, Ahsoka, and I will go and look for these colonists.” 

“Be strong Master,” Ahsoka sighed, kneeling down at Anakin, “Just a little bit longer. Rex and Mara will watch over you.” 

“It’s time to go,” Aayla sighed, placing a hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder. Ahsoka rose, her eyes never leaving Anakin. 

“Don’t worry kid,” Rex said, lifting up his blaster, “We’ll take good care of him.” 

“Captain Rex, keep your locator on. We should be back by daybreak with whoever or whatever lives on this planet,” Aayla ordered. 

“Got it, General Seccura,” Rex nodded. Ahsoka and the others started walking away, he called out, “Hey kid. Good luck.” 

Ahsoka smiled at him before walking off with the rest of their group. 

I slipped back into the tent and started spreading the ground up grass on Anakin’s burns. All the medical supplies had burned up, so I just had to use the grasses like a lotion. 

~*~*~

The sun had set and Rex and I were sitting outside the tent. One of my hands was resting on one of my lightsabers, my eyes looking to the stars. When we were kids, I would show Reese the different stars. Any I didn’t know, he would make up. Hence why the star that Coruscant orbited was renamed Nerfland.

“Why did you run to the medical bay? When we were flying into that star,” Rex asked, his voice distorted by his helmet. He kept his head forward, but I knew he was looking at me. 

“To make sure Anakin didn’t die,” I shrugged. 

“When I ran in, both of you were mumbling something,” Rex commented, “ ‘I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.’ What does that even mean?” 

“... I don’t know,” I sighed, “I didn’t know I was saying anything. To be honest, I didn’t even know you were there.” 

“If I’m being honest, you don’t act like someone that would trust easily,” Rex asked, though I have no clue how he got to that comment. 

“Trust isn’t given,” I sighed, my eyes landing on the Nerfland, “It’s earned.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T/W: Implication of suicide

My eyes snapped open to the sound of something falling to the ground. I don’t even remember going to sleep, even though I always did sleep easier outside. My eyes flew to Anakin, who was sprawled on the ground. I lept to my feet and knelt next to him, Rex on his other side. 

“Anakin?” I asked as Rex asked, “Are you alright sir?”

“Be…” Anakin tried, “Behind you.” 

Right on cue, a mastiff phalone jumped out of nowhere. Its shoulder rammed into my gut, knocking me aside like a ragdoll and picking up Rex by the arm. 

“Rex!” I shouted, the phalone swinging Rex around so he was facing away from both Anakin and myself. My eyes flew around the ground until they found Rex’s blaster. I picked it up with one hand and used my fingers to whistle with the other, “Hey! Over here!”

The phalone turned around, still not dropping Rex. I waved my arms around, my ignited lightsaber in one hand. The phalone dropped Rex and started running at me. I fired a single shot into the sky, making the phalone come to a full stop and run back to the safety of the tall grass. 

I ran up to Anakin, who had slumped down into the dirt, and lifted him with the Force. I turned him over, to find that he had passed out again. I moved his body back into the tent and set him down again. I ran back to Rex and offered my hand to him.

“How’s your arm?” I asked, pulling him up with his left. 

“It’ll be alright,” Rex shrugged, but he was a) a terrible liar and b) flinching as he said that. 

“Really?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. I held out his blaster to him, the handle out to him.

“It’s been better. But it’s also been worse,” Rex nodded, taking his gun, “With all due respect, when was the last time you slept? You can rest, sir.” 

“For more than an hour at a time, at least a week,” I sighed, my eyes returning to the stars, “And if you tell Kix, I will deny every bit of that sentence.” 

“Sir, if you really need rest, then rest,” Rex tried, “The general and I will be fine.” 

“I’ll sleep when everyone is safe,” I nodded, sitting down in front of the tent. Rex stayed standing, probably hoping that I would fall asleep or something. 

We fell into a comfortable silence, listening for anything that might choose to attack. My eyes stayed on the stars, my mind wandering. I couldn’t help but think about my family. My parents raised us to believe in what we wanted to. My parents didn’t believe in some divine overlord or that we would always come back as something else. But they did believe something was out there. Not someone that is made to guide or control or rule us, but a spectator. Someone that would sit back and watch as we went about our lives. 

I don’t know if there is anything out there. If there was, wouldn’t it have stopped the war? Kept all of this death from even being thought of in the first place? Wouldn’t it have stopped the slave trade that the Jedi didn’t care about? Kept Anakin from being a slave. Kept me from being a slave.

There was a window between when Dooku took me from my family and when the Guild started training me. In those five years I was a slave to the Queen of Zygerria. I went through processing 6 times in the first two years there and was beaten more times than I can count. When I turned 13, I went through training to be a dancer. I was fitted into an outfit that I immediately burned when Dooku came to retrieve me the next day. He said I was sent there to learn obedience, but all it did was make me stronger. 

For the next few months after that, I fell into a place that I couldn’t leave. If Jango and Hestia hadn’t walked into my room early that day… Well, lets just say that I wouldn’t be here. 

“Are you alright sir?” Rex asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

“Huh?” I asked. The sun was beginning to rise, but it felt like so much less time had passed. 

“Are you alright?” Rex repeated, turning to me, “You keep rubbing your forearm and I was wondering if you injured yourself in the crash.” 

I looked down and saw that I was rubbing the sleeve of my left arm, the tip of my tattoo just peaking out, “Just an old habit.” 

I heard a branch snap and instantly stood up. I used the Force, looking through the lifeforms, and found two phalones circling us. The sounds of someone getting up met with my ears, making me turn around to find Anakin trying to sit up. 

“General, you need to maintain your rest,” Rex tried, pushing Anakin so that he was laying down again. 

“I can’t rest,” Anakin groaned, brushing Rex off, “Rex, they’re coming. I hear them. We must fight.”

“All the more reason for you to stay in the tent,” I tried as Anakin continued to stand. 

“Mara,” Anakin grunted, “The ‘General’ card trumps the ‘Older Sister’ card right now.”

I furrowed my brows at that. But before I could argue more, the sight of a phalone jumping out of the grasses made me spin around and pull out my lightsabers. A second one jumped out of the grasses and charged at us. Taking a blaster bolt to the head, the first one crumpled to the ground. 

The second one barreled at us, forcing Rex and I to dive out of the way. I made sure to drag Anakin with me as the tent got completely destroyed. I quickly got off of Anakin and looked up in time to see a Lurmen wrapping a rope around the legs of the phalone. I ran over to where the Lurmen and Ahsoka were pulling the rope and started pulling with them. 

Rex jumped on the end, the added strength knocking the creature over. As soon as the phalone hit the ground, the Lurmen ran forward and wrapped the rest of the rope around its legs.

“Good work little guy,” Ahsoka nodded. I shook my head, remembering that this happened on a daily basis for them. I looked over to where Bly was kneeling down to Anakin and immediately ran over to his side. 

“Master!” Ahsoka shouted, running over so that she was next to me. 

“Good to see you, Snips,” Anakin coughed out, attempting a smile. 

“This is Wag Too,” Ahsoka introduced, speaking slowly so that he didn’t miss anything, “he’s a healer. He can make you well again.” 

“Don’t you worry, I can fix you right up,” Wag Too smiled, placing a hand on Anakin’s forehead, “Who put the ground up grasses on his burns?” 

“That would be me,” I nodded, rubbing my tattoo through the sleeve of my jacket. 

“Well done,” Wag Too nodded, his eyes lingering on me for a moment, “With the burns almost completely healed, it will be much easier to treat the rest. But how did you know? The grasses only grow here.”

He mumbled the last part, casting a quick-- almost unnoticeable-- glance at where my tattoo would have been visible if not for my jacket. I pulled my sleeve down lower than I would ever think possible. 

In a minute, Anakin was on a stretcher and we were walking to the Lurmen colony. The walk was entirely in silence and for once, my mind never wandered. We walked into the colony and Anakin was set down outside of the medical pod. 

“Uh… Snips? Mara?” Anakin asked as the Lurmen started flocking around him. 

I held back a laugh as I walked over to him. I waded through the Lurmens and knelt down, slipping my arm around his waist and lifting him up. I ducked under the opening of the little hut and laid him down, Wag Too following closely behind. 

“The oil from the pods will aid the healing process,” Wag Too nodded, gathering some glowing green oil on his hands before folding it into a cloth and placing it-- and other clothes like it-- over Anakin, wherever he was injured. 

I picked up a piece of cloth and handed it to Wag Too, “I hit the back of my head and it’s better to be safe than sorry.” 

“Sit down and I’ll take a look,” Wag Too smiled. I knelt on the ground, spinning around as I did, and pulled my hair into a ponytail so that Wag Too could reach my neck easier. 

“Let me know if anything hurts,” Wag Too said, his fingers grazing the back of my neck. 

“There,” I said as he applied a slight pressure to where my neck connected to my head. 

“It doesn’t look too bad, better to be swelling out than in,” Wag Too nodded, giving me a cloth, “Keep this on the back of your neck for at least the next few hours.” 

“Thanks,” I smiled, getting up. I walked out of the pod and was led into a second one for me to sleep in. I set down my lightsabers and walked to the outskirts of the colony. I walked up the hill, and turned around. 

The sun was setting over the colony, lighting up the pods in a soft gold. I pulled off my jacket and rolled it into a ball. I laid down on the hard ground, placing the jacket behind my head. I rubbed my tattoo and watched the cotton candy clouds pass overhead.

~*~*~

Can I not get some sort of peaceful sleep without a nightmare or an army waking me up? Really? 

The ground started rumbling and I instantly shot up. I grabbed my jacket and looked out to the field to see one of the insta-bases. 

I tied my jacket around my waist and ran down to the colony, only to run straight into Rex. 

“We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Rex all but shouted, “General Skywalker’s orders, now come on!” 

“Not yet, I’ll catch up,” I said, running toward the nut I was supposed to sleep in. I grabbed my lightsabers and ran back out. 

We ran uphill, gliding through the grass until we came to a clearing. We tumbled through the grass and came to where everyone was resting around the edge. 

I knelt down, everyone looking around, until we eased back into some sort of calm. 

“You know, I can’t figure out those villagers not wanting to fight,” Rex sighed, “No pride I guess.”

“I call it no courage,” Ahsoka grumbled. 

I kept my eyes to the ground. I didn’t want to fight, but here I was. But then again, I’m only staying to make sure no one I care about does anything stupid. Then I’m out. 

“Sometimes it takes courage to stick to one’s beliefs, young Padawan,” Aayla sighed, her eyes flitting to me, “as any Jedi knows well.” 

“We need to find a ship,” Anakin smirked, “And I think the only one around here, belongs to the Separatists. We know they have a landing ship. They might have a shuttle.” 

“Sir, are you talking about stealing from one of the clankers?” Rex asked, his smirk audible through his helmet, “Count me in.” 

“We need to find them first,” Aayla pointed out. 

I looked over at Ahsoka, who was uncharacteristically quiet. Her eyes were trained on the grass beyond our circle of conflict. 

“I think we just did,” Ahsoka commented, pointing to the grass. I looked to where she was pointing just in time to see a probe droid flying away. 

“Blast it!” Anakin shouted, pointing at it as well

Rex and Bly started firing at it, but I pulled out one of my lightsabers and started sprinting and the thing that just wouldn’t stop moving. 

I started chasing it as it retreated, pretty much everyone else close behind. Anakin stayed behind, because he would be in a world of pain if he didn’t. And fear from me. 

Ahsoka, Bly, and Rex ran in one direction while Aayla walked in another. I sprinted through the tall grass, crouching as I did, and snuck up to where it was rushing to. The base of one of the trees.

Out of pure habit, I threw my ignited lightsaber at the probe droid, the blade sliding through it like the metal was butter. 

I pulled the lightsaber back to me with the Force. I caught it in time to see Aayla giving me a look. 

“Did your Master teach you that?” Aayla asked. 

“No,” I sighed, “My parents did.” 

What they didn’t know was that when I said father, I meant Jango and Cad. They had taught me how to throw knives so that they would hit the target blade first. My eyes flew around the clearing, until they found the death tree. 

I sprinted at the tree and leapt onto one of the roots. Everyone was close behind as I started the ascent. I swung around like a monkey lizard, jumping from one branch to the next. 

I made it to the second third of the tree before stopping. What laid before me was a beautiful view. The sunset was dying the fields golden and the dirt path to the village was overshadowed. 

But the view would have been much better without the instabase in the middle of a field. 

Everyone was up a second later, Bly and Ahsoka using their scopes. 

“I hope you’re feeling better Master, because look what we found,” Ahsoka sighed. 

“I’m getting stronger all the time, Snips,” Anakin laughed, taking the scopes and looking at the base, “But I’m not sure I’m ready for that.” 

Anakin continued to use the scopes, moving his head so he could see everything. The scope clicked as he zoomed in. 

“That shuttle’s our way off this rock,” Anakin said, though it sounded more like an order. 

“It’s not going to be easy, sir,” Bly monotoned, stepping forward, “There don’t seem to be any flaws in their security line.” 

“Apparently the Separatists have a new toy,” Anakin spat as a tank with a yellow canister on top revealed itself, “See if you can get a closer look.” 

“Yes sir,” Bly nodded. 

“I’ll go with you, Commander,” Rex sat up, a little too eager. 

Rex and Bly crouched in the grass and watched the droids through the announcements. Two droids started walking out to near where Rex and Bly were crouching and I felt myself tense. 

“Stay down boys,” Anakin mumbled. 

The canister was fired through the air, Rex and Bly immediately running. The ring of fire continued to spread, far too close for comfort. 

They both pulled out their grappling hooks and fired, but Bly tripped over a branch and missed the tree. 

Before anyone could do anything, I cut one of the vines and swung down. Holding onto the vine, I landed on the ground and picked up Bly before swinging back to the tree. 

“Thank you, sir,” Commander Bly nodded, though I really don’t know why. 

“Of course,” I nodded in return. 

“That’s some toy,” Ahsoka mumbled as the fire slowed down and the droids started moving out, “It took out every living thing. Where are they off to now?” 

“They must be going back to the Lurmen village,” I reasoned, “There’s nothing else in that direction.” 

“First we’ll take out the droids’ communications station,” Anakin told us, “Then after we get the shuttle, we’ll go back and help the Lurmen.” 

“But Tee Watt Kaa said he doesn’t need our help,” Ahsoka protested. 

“There’s a difference between pulling innocents into a war and leaving them to extinction,” I sighed. 

We all climbed down the trees, the sun almost completely setting. Crouching in the grass, we ran over to the base. By the time we reached the base, the sun had completely set. 

We crouched in the grass as the spotlights swept past. Before the spotlights could hit them, Aayla and Ahsoka slid between the lights and pressed their backs against the metal wall. 

Anakin rolled a nearby pebble around, attracting the attention of a nearby droid that was on patrol. It kept its blaster at attention, walking closer. Anakin pulled the rock into the grasses, making the droid follow. 

I flashed out my lightsaber, quickly severing the droids head from his body and turning my lightsaber off again. I turned around to find that Rex and Bly had already taken down the other two droids.

Bly, Rex, Anakin, and I snuck through the fields, now dark without the spotlights. We pressed our backs against the wall, the gigantic door opening a second later. 

We slipped through the door, and were in the base. The tanks and charging stations for the droids were organized from east to west, smallest to largest. Hestia and I designed it so that you could easily sneak between the tanks and the east wall. To add onto it, the cameras had a blindspot that allowed us to run straight to the command center.

That’s why I was leading. We wove between the tanks to avoid the cameras and droids that were on patrols. There weren't any droids that noticed us as we crept up to the command center, but there were three in charge of the center. 

Bly quietly snapped the neck of one of the droids and pulled the body down before it clattered to the ground. 

“Four-Seven-Two-Four, how does the west end check out?” The center droid asked before Rex took hold of the one on his other side, strangling it and punching it’s head, “What the--” 

It never got to finish its sentence as Anakin’s lightsaber fell onto it’s head. We ran out of the center and met up with Aayla and Ahsoka. We ran further to the back, where the shuttle was, and luckily didn’t run into any droids. 

Some idiot kept the shuttle open, so we instantly started running onto it. Rex turned back for a moment, so I turned around with him. If Rex of all people stopped, then it was for something important. My eyes followed to where he must have been looking, landing on the shield generators. 

“Shield generators, sir,” Rex said, almost immediately. Anakin turned around and smirked instantly. 

“Let’s take them with us.” 

In a few minutes, we had the pair of generators loaded up onto the shuttle and had taken off. 

In the blink of an eye, we were back at the Lurmen village. And none of them were really happy to see us. 

“Everyone please,” Aayla shouted, her voice carrying through the village, “Please listen. The Separatists will be here in moments.” 

“What are you doing here?” Tee Watt Kaa questioned, “I told you not to return.” 

“I’m afraid the Separatists don’t care whether you’re in the war or not,” Anakin told him, not sparing a single second.

“We need to get you to safety before they arrive,” I projected as more and more of the Lurmen began to crowd. 

“We will not abandon our homes,” Tee Watt Kaa retorted, stubborn as anyone could be. 

“But they’ve got a new weapon,” Ahsoka tried, “It’ll burn this place to a crisp. Is that what all of you really want?” 

“If it is our destiny to be destroyed in your war, then so be it,” Tee Watt Kaa nodded, walking away. 

“Just like it was mine to crash here?” I shouted after him, the words out of my mouth before I could take them back. 

“That confirms it,” he sighed, turning back around and pointing to my left forearm, “I had suspicions when I saw your tattoo, but what you just said confirms it. You may remember me, you may not. But I remember you. It is hard to forget the person that returned me to my family as a child.” 

It hit me then that this was the first time that I had truthly seen Tee Watt Kaa. His dark hazel eyes were identical to the eyes of the lurmen that had wandered onto my crash sight four years ago. He had gotten lost and had injured it’s arm. Conveniently, his mother was a healer and he knew what to do to treat his injuries, but couldn’t do it himself. So he guided me as I healed his fleshwounds and put his arms in a brace. We walked for two days before finding his people. 

“I am in your debt, but I will not help you and your jedi in this war,” Tee Watt Kaa sighed, his shoulders sagging, “You once told me that you wished for a quiet life. One of peace and without conflict. I am simply looking for the same, as is the rest of my people.”


	18. Chapter 18

Tee Watt Kaa walked away and we all started moving the pods to block the entrance to the village. It would distract them for at least a little while. 

After the pods were in place, the tanks had started to appear on the horizon.

“Droids, inbound,” Rex shouted, pointing out to the horizon, “We’ve got eight minutes tops.” 

“Come on guys! Let’s get those shield generators in place!” Anakin shouted. 

Rex and I were standing on the pods as the tanks drew nearer, with at least one battalion of droids in front of them. 

“Incoming!” Rex shouted as the canister fired through the air. Rex and I jumped down from the pods in sync and spun around as Anakin shouted another order. 

The shield washed over the outside of the colony, and just in time. If the shield boundaries had hit the ground a second later and fire would have consumed the village. 

The flames of red, orange, and yellow circled around the energy shield and I couldn’t help but feel a slight relief. It was only then that I had noticed Tee Watt Kaa walking away with his son trailing behind him. It looked like he had failed to persuade Anakin to stop building our wall. 

“Now, they’ll have to get their hands dirty and face us,” Anakin proclaimed, placing his hands on his hips in triumph. For a minute, I wasn’t seeing General Anakin Skywalker. I was seeing Ani, the five year old boy that was happy that he was able to drive a pod racer, no matter how badly he crashed it. I blinked hard, and when I opened my eyes again, I was looking at General Skywalker. I shook my thoughts away and turned back to the oncoming battle.

We climbed over the pods as fast as we could move. Ahsoka mumbled something, but I was more focused on the army marching towards us. We walked outside the shield and drew our weapons. 

The droids instantly started firing at us, Rex and Bly firing back in response. The rest of us started deflecting the bolts, hitting the droids in response. 

I sprinted forward with the other Jedi close behind and started slicing through the droids like they were butter. I was soon surrounded by droids and instantly threw one of my lightsabers, using the Force to move it around me, slicing through droid heads. My other lightsaber was in my right hand as I deflected blaster bolts back at the droids. I was right handed anyway, so why not. I wasn’t like most jedi, who were ambidextrous and could do practically anything with even strength. 

The rest of the fight was a blur, up until Anakin and I sliced down the last of the droids. 

I pulled my lightsaber back to my left hand and turned around, smiling when Ahsoka’s jaw dropped to the floor. 

“What? I use what I can,” I shrugged. My ears sharpened at the sound of metal feet hitting the dusty path and turned back in time to see that we had two battalions after us this time. 

This battalion had both B1s and B2s, not that there was much of a difference between the two. One was just more durable than the other.

We charged at the droids again, one of my lightsabers flying around again, the other deflecting bolds and cutting through droids in close quarters. More and more droids started coming and there were only so many that we could cut down. 

“Snips, Mara, get back to the village!” Anakin shouted at us, “I’ll take care of the super weapon.” 

I bit my tongue as Ahsoka and I ran back, deflecting blots as we went. There were alot more than I was comfortable with. 

“Keep going!” I shouted, Force-pushing Ahsoka over the wall to where Rex and Bly were waiting. I sprinted faster, clearing my mind. 

I let everything fall away as my arms pumped faster, my legs following suit. The Force flowed through me, until I could only see my path and what I planned to do. I let my hold on my lightsabers fall away. I dove further into the Force, feeling the grasses, their roots stretching through the ground. Feeling the lurmen people, their fear and confusion and anger at the droids and at Tee Watt Kaa. The regret ebbing from Anakin, worry from Ahsoka, and shock from Aayla, Rex, and Bly. 

I let my body curve through the air, knowing I was at least 100 feet up. I dove straight down and hoped against hope that this would work. As the ground rushed closer and closer to me, I angled myself so that I would land head first. That quickly changed as I reached my hands out at the ground, the dust crawling between my fingers. I flipped over my hands, the ground moving around me and pushing against the droids. I used the Force as a buffer so that I didn’t break anything, goodness knows I did that enough.

When my hold on the Force dropped, the ground was uprooted around me, droid parts scattered. I looked over to the village and could vaguely see droids lined up on the ground, their heads removed by lightsaber and their ankles tied with rope. 

I turned to where the superweapon was and that was nothing more than scrap metal. Anakin was levitating someone, one of Dooku’s generals. 

“Mara!” Aayla shouted from behind me. I turned around, and in a second the ground was rushing to my head before the darkness overtook me. 

~*~*~

I opened my eyes, recognized where I was, and instantly rolled out of bed and into a fighting stance. 

I stood alone in the medical room, my jacket on a nearby seat with my lightsabers resting in the center. The room was varying shades of pale blue and silver. There was a nearby counter with various medical supplies on my left-- along with the door-- and a glass window showing the galaxy on my right, the bed grazing my right thigh. 

No one burst through the door to attack me, and I relaxed slightly. Whenever I got injured during training, Jango would put me in the medical bay so the droid could help me. When I woke up, I would get up to 10 seconds to brace for him appearing seemingly out of nowhere and attacking me again. Some people would say that it was cruel, that I needed time to heal. And with that, one of Jango’s lessons echoed through my mind. 

“If you get hurt, you get back up,” he had said, walking around me and correcting my fighting stance for the millionth time, “If you hesitate, even for a second, your enemy will not hold back. They will use your injuries to their advantage. Any weakness you have, they will use.” 

I smiled at the memory, because it was then that Hestia decided to walk in, and I was distracted. I was on the mat in a second, Jango straddling over me while holding down all of my limbs at once. Hestia had jumped in and pulled him off of me. 

“I know I look good, but come now, focus on the fight,” Hestia had laughed, putting her hand on her hip, coking it in the sexiest way possible. 

“She’s right you know,” Jango smiled, “Your girlfriend won’t always be there to save you.” 

“I might even be your enemy,” Hestia laughed. But in a second she had started punching and kicking me. She hadn’t meant to injure me, just prove a point. I threw a punch of my own, only to have her glide under my arm. She slipped my arms around her shoulders in one fluid motion, her lekku falling over my arms. Her hands slid around my waist and she pulled me in for a kiss. 

Our lips had pressed together and we pulled away a moment later, Hestia smirking. I don’t even know how, but a moment later, she had pinned me on the ground. She was holding my arms above my head and her legs were wrapped around my neck, just to prove a point.

“You are way too good at distracting me,” I had laughed. 

I shook my head, the memory falling away. I chuckled as I grabbed my jacket and pulled it over my shoulders. I clipped my lightsabers onto my belt, a waterfall of memories rushing forward as my fingers brushed against the cool metal. The doors slid open, Aayla, Anakin, and Obi-Wan walking in. 

“What are you smiling about?” Aayla asked, tilting her head at me. 

“Nothing,” I rushed. I needed to focus on the present, not something that happened when I was 15. 

“That is not true, but in any case, we need to talk,” Obi-Wan sighed. 

The three Jedi sat down on the bed, and I sunk into the chair across from them. 

“Doyouknowwhereyougotyourtattoofrom?” Anakin blurted. 

“Um… what?” I asked, I honestly didn’t catch what he said. It sounded like a sentence that wanted to be a single word. 

Anakin took a deep breath and started again, “Do you know where you got your tattoo from? I’ve never seen it before.” 

“I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. Is that what this is really about?” I asked, looking to my master. 

“Not quite,” Obi-Wan sighed, “Aayla and Anakin, as well as Ahsoka and the clones told me about what you did.” 

“I didn’t know that Bly and Rex saw, or Ahsoka,” I commented, making sure to use Bly and Rex’s names. 

“No Jedi has ever bent the world around them in the way that you did,” Aayla sighed, looking at me with sympathy. 

“And that means what?” I asked, tilting my head slightly. 

“How long have you been able to do that?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“How long have I been unconscious?” I retorted. 

“You didn’t know you could do that?” Anakin gasped, his jaw going slack. 

“I went off of instinct,” I shrugged. My eyes slid back to where Obi-Wan was sitting, his elbows on his knees and chin on his hands. He was definitely thinking about something, “What is it Master?” 

“...Take a walk with me,” he said after a pause, getting up and walking to the door. I rose and walked out after him. 

I heard Aayla and Anakin walk out after us and turn the other way. We walked down the halls for a few minutes, a few people walking past us. Some of the troopers saluted us and I nodded in return. 

“What were you thinking about? You don’t smile like that often,” Obi-Wan asked, echoing Aayla’s question. 

“Training from when I was 15, nothing important,” I shrugged. 

“Really?” he chuckled, raising a brow. 

“It was one of the more important ones, and Jango and Hestia both being there wasn’t helping to focus,” I laughed. 

“There’s something I want you to do,” Obi-Wan said, turning to me, “I realize that I haven’t been the most present of Masters. You trained under me for maybe 3 rotations in total. We spent 45 minutes together before I sent you off with Anakin, then only a few rotations before you worked with Aayla. I know I can do better.”

Before Obi-Wan could continue, I spoke, “I’m staying. I know that I said that I would stay for a week, but I’m going to stay permanently now. And I want you to be my master. If my opinion counts.” 

“In that case, you have an assignment,” Obi-Wan smiled after a beat, “I want you to meditate about the meaning of the Jedi Code. You can ask other Jedi about what they feel about the code, but I want you to find your own meaning in the words. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.”

“Yes, Master,” I nodded. 

We split paths, knowing that neither of us were going to say anything else. I turned to the right, tugging on the chain with the holofile on the genealogy and chemical combinations that sped up the growth of the clones. 

What I knew was really limited, as I wasn’t allowed into the sleeping quarters of the clones from my time on Kamino. Not only would Jango have been angry that I had left Boba alone, but the Kaminoans would have all but murdered me for messing with their ‘subjects’. I knew that they slept in tubes that were air tight, and chemicals were released as they slept, helping them to grow twice as fast. 

If I could find what those chemicals were and how much of each was used, that would make things twenty times easier. If I ever found myself on Kamino again, that would be a lot better. 

My thoughts somehow wandered to my parents. How did they even know about this stuff? As far I knew, they were farmers. But that clearly wasn’t true. My dad helped Watto when it came to identifying different weapons and, come to think of it, my mom worked on this drive more than my dad. 

“Are you alright, you look like you’re really deep in thought?” Ahsoka smiled. 

“Yeah just thinking about unimportant stuff,” I shrugged, “What about you?”

“Happy to be off that planet,” she sighed. 

“How long was I out?” I asked as we walked into the mess. I grabbed a tray, which already had some food on it, and walked with Ahsoka and sat down. 

“Sooo… I heard some stuff that Dooku said on his ship, and I didn’t know…” Ahsoka trailed off, but I knew what she was talking about. It wasn’t like it was an unfamiliar conversation. 

“About me having a girlfriend?” I asked, smiling and tilting my head. 

“Yeah, I just… I don’t… the Jedi aren’t allowed to love. But I never considered a same-sex relationship,” Ahsoka sighed, “They just hope that we don’t love anyone. And if we do love someone, we have to push down those feelings for the good of the galaxy.” 

“Well, you can’t just gather a bunch of people and hope that they’re asexual,” I shrugged, “And in my experience, it isn’t worth it. Hiding your emotions for someone you care about. If you tell them and they don’t share that feeling, then it’s easier to move on. And if they share the same feelings you do, then that is a million times better. You have someone to turn to, that should always stand by you. Love always makes you stronger, just not in the ways that the Jedi want.” 

“Your girlfriend. What was she like?” Ahsoka asked, “And what’s it like, loving a girl?” 

“To answer your second question, I’d assume it is the same as loving a man. I’ve liked men before, but my girlfriend was the one that I ended up with. Love is love, no matter who you’re with,” I smiled. Ahsoka and I had sat down across each other on a small round table. I lowered my head with a smile, “And in terms of my girlfriend, let's start with her name. Hestia. She was brave, and saw the good in everyone. She was strategic, knowing almost exactly what to do at that time. And selfless to the point of stupid, always willing to jump in front of the gun.” 

“What happened?” Ahsoka asked. 

I sighed, my breath shaky beyond belief, “We screwed up.”

“We were being sent on a mission from Dooku. We were supposed to kidnap the son of the Trandoshan leader, as a bargaining chip. Dooku wanted to ensure that when the war started, he would have allies. 

“The mission had started out like it was supposed to. We landed undetected on the planet and made our way north to the capital. We sprinted up the wall, and with both Dooku’s and the Guild’s training, and infiltrated the city with ease. We ran through the city, keeping to the shadows, and actually made it to the palace. 

“We slid in through a window and fell right into the child's room. Out of the two of us, I was better with kids, so I was supposed to carry him. I picked him up and we jumped back out the window. But we didn’t see the mother walk into the room as we climbed out.

“She started screaming bloody murder, and for good reason. We scaled the building as quickly as we could, the baby starting to wail in my arms. As soon as we hit the ground, we started sprinting away from that building and through alleyways. We ran for what felt like hours before we finally made it to the wall. 

“But we turned around and there were at least 50 soldiers pouring out of the wall that we didn’t realize was hollow at the time. More and more of them started running out, and Hestia turned to me. 

‘I’ll hold them off,' she said as we sprinted, ‘best case, we both get away with the kid. Worst case, you have to trade the kid for me.’

“I had thought it was a good plan at the time, so I nodded along and kept running with the kid. I started scaling the wall, but as soon as I hit the top, Hestia ran inside the wall. 

“We hadn’t thought the Trandoshans would kill their own people just to get their princeling back. As I started sprinting to jump off of the wall, it exploded. 

“I missed the branch and was knocked out. When I woke up, I was in a cell and was told Hestia was dead. The Guild negotiated for two cycles to get me out, mainly Jango, Cad, and Embo.” 

I couldn’t even look at Ahsoka. I had only cried in Anakin’s embrace, and it wasn’t going to happen now. I blinked the tears away and looked up at Ahsoka. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” Ahsoka sighed, jumping up and wrapping her arms around me.

“Mara,” Anakin asked, coming up behind us, “Can I talk to you?” 

“Sure,” I nodded, walking out of the mess. My uneaten food is sitting on the table next to Ahsoka, “What is it?” 

“I’m sorry,” Anakin sighed, “I just… it hurt. Knowing that people were there for you and I couldn’t find you. When I became a Jedi, I should have been able to find you. I should have gone out and looked for you. But I didn’t. And you were raised by bounty hunters. I get that they're your family, but they don’t have my trust yet. But I acted like a jerk and didn’t think about what you were feeling toward them. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” I sighed, “You were a kid, and quite frankly, I didn’t expect you to even remember me. But don’t you ever blame yourself Ani. You are one of the best people that could be in this world. You just need to open your eyes, and your heart, to it.” 

“I know,” he sighed, “But I need to correct you on something. You could never be forgotten.” 


	19. Chapter 19

Blue Shadow Virus is truthly, the most annoying thing in the galaxy. And that was before it was a giant blue cloud of death. 

I’ve read the documents and the effects weren’t pretty. 

I had just started a search for the missing bomb and I wanted to scream. This wasn’t the first time I had come in contact with a virus like this. When Dr. Vidi was working on this, he decided to try the gaseous state of a less deadly virus on me. It was one of the more popular forms of torture in The Citadel. 

“Ahsoka, where are you?” I shouted through the commlink. 

“I’m on the East side of the base, what’s going on?” she responded instantly. 

“One of the bombs is missing. I’m almost done clearing the West, so it’s likely on your side,” I shouted, “Get your men on it.” 

“Already going,” Rex responded, joining the conversation. 

“Tell us as soon as you have something,” I said, turning away from the commlink. 

I sprinted down a few more halls, precious seconds ticking past. That was until an alarm started blaring. Great. 

“The virus is out, get to the safe room,” I shouted into the commlink. As long as everyone made it in, that was all I needed. I was halfway across the base and the west end had the safe room. 

I started sprinting along the hallways, the red lights taking over my vision. I looked over my shoulders, and I was lucky enough to have the blue cloud chasing me. I turned the corner and saw Ahsoka, Rex, and a couple troopers left. Everyone else was in the room. 

I instinctively pushed them all forward and turned around, trying to keep the cloud away from them for as long as possible. But the cloud was so fluid and I could never get a full grip on it, so it kept slipping through. It was like I was trying to fight a river. 

I heard the steel doors of the safe room close behind me. I let my arms fall, the virus swarming around me, flooding through my lungs. Is it weird that it tasted like fruit? 

I started running through the halls, knowing that there wasn’t any way I would be able to get to the safe room. The fact that they were all closed might have something to do with that. 

I started walking through the clouded halls, the metal clanking of battle droids running through the halls. I placed my hands on my lightsabers and ran, turning the corners. I hung on a corner, the droids around the corner. 

I pulled out my lightsabers and started deflecting the bolts, because the commando droids instantly started firing at me.

“We need her alive,” one of the droids said, and I instantly started fighting harder. If commando droids wanted me alive, it wasn’t for anything good. 

I started running forward, deflecting bolts as I went. There was no way that these clankers were going to capture me. I cut through one of the droids, his head being completely removed. 

One of the droids from behind me started swiping his blade at me, but I quickly cut it in half and stabbed him through the head. 

A shockwave raced over me. It ran through my body and I knew I was screwed, at least for right now.

~*~*~

Fire ran through my veins and I was awake. Woken up via electrocution is a new one. 

“You are going to tell us what we want to know,” the commando ordered, his faceplate in mine. 

“If you think I’m psychic, you're wrong,” I groaned. Why did interrogators always do that? It’s like they think that all the people on the torture chair can read minds.

“What entail do you have on Republic bases?” The droid asked, grabbing hold of my face with his two metal fingers. Even through the dark blue clouds, there was no way I wasn’t able to see them. 

Of course then was when I started looking around. I was in some sort of lab from what I could tell, but the virus wasn’t helpful in terms of vision. Some of the vials were broken on the ground and some were still in their stands. 

I was tied to some sort of pipe that had glowing blue lights around the base. It got slimmer as the pipe continued to climb toward the ceiling. Great, time to get electrocuted. 

“What makes you think I’m going to tell you anything?” I sighed, knowing how this was going to go. Kind of. I at least had an idea of what was going to happen. 

A jolt of electricity raced through my nervous system, but it was so low that he might as well have been tickling me. 

For the first few minutes, there wasn’t anything major in terms of pain. They apparently didn’t know my history, so this was fine. They started out slow, only increasing a few volts at a time. But when I didn’t even flinch, let alone scream, they started to up the voltage.

First 10 at a time, then 50, then 100. 

The electricity coursing through my veins burned more and more as time went on. The droids would give me maybe 1 minute to breathe before giving me more electricity. 

After at least 30 minutes, the pain stopped. I gasped for air, my chest heaving against the now burning hot metal. My gasps quickly turned into coughs, like I could forget about the virus coursing through my system right now. 

“This isn’t working,” one of the droids commented.

“Then what do you suggest?” the lead droid asked. 

The droid that spoke lifted his blaster and shot my right calf in response. The energy release shot through my leg like fire. I bit my lip to the point where it bled to keep myself from screaming. I had enough sense to quickly use the Force, and everyone was now out of the safe room. The last thing I could do was scream and get everyone over to where 3 commando droids were. And based on how bad I was with breathing, no one else was much better. 

I tried moving my leg, but another wave of fire came into existence and I had to bite down another scream. 

I looked around the room and fought a smile. My lightsabers were resting on a nearby table, the light ricocheting off of the dark metal. My fingers started shaking as they curled, the blue fog wrapping around them, though the fog was getting clearer. 

My lightsabers shot through the air, ignited, and quickly started decapitating the droids. After the droids collapsed to the ground, the blue fog was almost nonexistent. I quickly moved my lightsabers to my hands and undid my bonds. 

I turned my wrists in a couple circles, trying to loosen them up after what just happened. I gripped the pipe that I wanted to leave a moment ago, and used it to pull myself up. I took a tentative step forward and my knees wanted to buckle under the pain shooting through my right leg.

I took a deep breath and took another step. I wasn’t going to scream. I wasn’t going to fall. 

And that plan worked for the most part. I stumbled through the pathways, the blue fog disappearing quicker and quicker. I turned a corner and saw clones had started retracting their cables, going back up to the surface. 

I collapsed to the ground, blinking away the delirium that clouded my vision. 

The feet of the troopers started to surround me, their voices muffled. Like I was underwater. 

~*~*~

That was a week ago. Now Obi-Wan and I are waiting for the all clear so that we can get onto the surface of Ryloth. 

Ahsoka had just made a Queen’s Gambit that didn’t work out at all, so I’m trying to comm her. Especially considering that this was her first time as Commander. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ahsoka said instantly, 

“Okay,” I sighed, sinking into my seat, “Can I say one thing though?” 

“Fine,” Ahsoka grumbled, crushing a can in her fist. 

“I’ve never liked being Commander,” I shrugged, “It’s a job from hell.” 

“That’s an understatement,” Ahsoka laughed, without humor.

“What are you going to do?” I asked. Anakin had put her in charge and she needed a plan. 

“I can’t go back, I killed their brothers!” Ahsoka shouted, wide eyed.

“You didn’t kill them, it was a trap that no one saw coming,” I said, looking her in the eyes. 

“Then what do I do?” Ahsoka asked. 

“You walk into that command center and take charge,” I said, “Rex will make sure that the men respect you, but the true respect will come when you show them the leader you are.” 

“Okay,” Ahsoka sighed, getting up, “Thanks, Mara. I needed that.” 

“Of course, I’ll get my men ready,” I smiled. The connection ended and I ran out of my quarters. 

“So, when are we shipping out?” Carson asked. At this point, I was really sure that he was force sensitive. 

“As soon as we get the call, which should be in a few minutes,” I smiled. 

I ran to the command center and waited for a few moments before Ahsoka gave us the all clear. 

“I know you want to,” Obi-Wan smiled, looking at me. 

“Thank you Master,” I smiled, running to the hanger. 

“Already prepped it for you,” Sam smiled. 

I jumped into my seat and R3 soon followed. 

‘So, first space battle?’

“Far from it,” I smiled, thinking back to the situation over Kashyyyk. Long story short, Jango and I accidentally flew into a battle between the Wookies and the Trandosians. And we were very popular.

We flew out of the hanger as soon as we were out of hyperspace. 

“Blue leader, sound off,” I said, knowing that my team was with me. 

“Blue one, standing by.” 

“Blue two, standing by.” 

“Blue three, standing by.” 

The number kept increasing to seven. Even though I wasn’t a commander, I still had the ranking of one. If I had the choice though, I would have instantly been a commander. 

We flew into the space battle, though it was more of target practice. We just needed to hit specific points on the base and we were clear. 

“We’re going to use the city of Nabat to get the rest of our people on the ground,” Obi-Wan said when we got on the ground. 

We ran to the ruined wall of the city, droids firing at all of us. My fighter was on its way back to the shuttle, so there isn’t any flying around and clearing a path now. 

The troopers took cover behind trees while Obi-Wan and I just defected the bolts. Obi-Wan ordered two troopers to come with us, Waxer and Boil I think, and we ran to a cluster of boulders on the side. Waxer threw a droid popper at the wall, but it didn’t make it over.

“We’ll give you a push,” I responded instantly. 

“Yes Commander,” Boil said, causing me to inwardly flinch. They threw droid poppers and Obi-Wan and I used the Force to push them over the wall, to where the droids quickly deactivated. 

We started trudging through the city, and there wasn’t anyone around. Though I could sense a huge collection of people in what I assumed was the city center. 

“They’re using the natives as a human shield. Cody, Gunner, Waxer, Boil,” I said, causing the four troopers to step forward, “You’re on recon. Do not engage with the enemy, observe only. Do you understand?” 

“Yessir,” they all nodded before running off. 

“Are you sure that you don’t want the title of Commander? You certainly fit the role,” Obi-Wan asked, coming up next to me. We walked to the holotable that was set up and I couldn’t help but smile. 

“I already have the rank, and I’m not taking the title from Cody,” I smiled, my conversation with Ahsoka rising again. It’s a job from hell. 

I turned my eyes to the map in front of us. I didn’t want to think about the fact that I had been told to take the title of Commander by at least 5 people in the last two rotations. 

My thoughts wandered through the Force, but I felt something. No. Someone. I couldn’t tell who they were, but I felt like I know them. That I’ve known them.

Cody and Gunner came back a few minutes later, Cody with a specific map of the base. 

“This is a map of their base, but there’s a complication,” Cody said, pointing to the town center, “Commander Kanto was right when she said that the droids would be using the civies as living shields.” 

“But Mara doesn’t take the title of Commander, am I correct?” Windu added. 

“We should be focusing on the attack to come, not on titles,” Colin said when I hesitated. We knew each other for so long that at this point we could practically read each other's minds. 

“The hostages will make it harder, but not impossible,” I said, rubbing my chin. 

“Nu’re speaking Ryl,” Colin laughed. 

“Sorry, old habits,” I smiled. 

“I have faith in you, General Kenobi,” Master Windu said, looking straight at me before cutting the feed. 

“Cody, gather your men, we’re going to get this city,” Obi-Wan nodded. 

“Mara, you’ve been quiet, you alright?” Sam asked, Carson and Max following close behind. 

“Yeah, I just have some stuff that’s flooding my brain,” I laughed, trying to get rid of the feeling that I was going to see someone I knew soon. 

“We’ll go get ready,” Carson said, seeing that I didn't want to talk. 

But as soon as they walked away, Obi-Wan came up behind me. 

“Have you meditated like I’ve instructed you?” he asked as the men ran around us. 

“Yes, Master,” I nodded, thinking back to my meditation from before I spoke to Ahsoka, “The first line-- there is no emotion, there is peace-- that means that people act more out of emotion than logic. That if we thought about why we did what we did without emotions clouding our judgement, we would all be better for it. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge-- educate yourself. Learn about the topic before you discuss it. There is no passion, there is serenity-- when a person is passionate about something, then will act irrationally. Without thought. There is no chaos, there is harmony-- the chaos gives way to the harmony. One causes the other. There isn’t anything else to it. There is no death, there is the Force-- the people we love are never lost. They are simply returned to their place of origin, wherever that is.”

“You don’t seem to have the same perspectives that many Jedi hold,” Obi-Wan smiled, “Now get ready, we’ll be leaving as soon as the men are ready.” 


	20. A/N

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you guys know that I wont be able to post for the next few days. I'm going to be away from my computer for a few days and I haven't gotten much writing/editing done.

Such as the perils of school.

That being said, I'll try to post by the end of the week, next Tuesday by the latest.

Have a good day/night/whatever time it is where you are.

Dreaming Star


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, almost a week after I initially meant to post. To say the least, life happened. I'm going to try and post at around 1 week intervals, but sometimes it'll be a bit earlier or later. The posting schedule has officially gone out the window. Thanks for understanding. Have a great day/night/whatever time it is where you are.

We started marching through the city, keeping our eyes open for something that would jump out and eat us. Waxer and Boil hadn’t come back yet, so we were forced to move on without them. 

“Why did you call me Commander?” I asked, coming up next to Cody. 

“You act like one,” he shrugged, “You know how to take charge, and the boys listen to you. They would follow you anywhere. If I were to walk up to a shiny that didn’t know any of the commanding officers, he would have said you were one instantly.” 

“You and I both know that you’re just saying that,” I said, rolling my eyes. We turned a corner and I stopped in my tracks. Footsteps pounded on the ground that were far too heavy to be human.

I knelt on one knee and pressed my palm to the ground. I couldn’t tell what they were, but they were large and tortured.

As soon as I stood back up, a bunch of creatures that I didn’t even want to recognize started running around the corner. 

“Run!” I shouted. I started to run in the other direction, Carson close behind me. 

“They were starved.”

The men halted for a few minutes as the stampede of at least ten of those things came around the corner. The men tried to fire at them, but the exoskeletons just absorbed the bolts. 

“Aim for the eyes!” Sam shouted, his goggles flipping up from his eyes so that he could hit some of the things. 

I turned to one of the creatures and decided to try something. I reached out my hand and connected to the creatures, feeling their life force temporarily bind to mine. 

They were hurting. The pain in their guts, clawing and writhing. There were a few that had been able to pin a trooper. But as they ate, the pain and insatiable hunger only grew.

I started backing up, encouraging them to follow me. I walked so that I was across from an alleyway that had a bridge of rocks over the top. I guided the creatures into the alley, Obi-Wan doing the same. 

Once all the creatures were in the alley, the troopers started shooting down the overhang, killing the things. 

As soon as the bridge was shot, I dropped my connection and the dodging began. The first one tried to barrel roll into me, making me jump over it. 

Leaping on the backs of these things, I made my way to the collapsed wall, eventually flipping over it. 

I bent my knees as I landed, Obi-Wan on my other side. 

“You are getting better with your abilities,” Obi-Wan praised. 

“Thank you, Master,” I smiled. 

We continued walking, the troopers surrounding us on all sides but the front. I walked with Obi-Wan on my left, my eyes closed. I couldn’t focus on many things, so I reached into the force. 

Other than the troopers around me, I couldn’t sense anyone else in the area. I expanded my search further, to the collection of droids in the town square. They were surrounding a group of twi’leks, but there was something about the group. Something that gave me an air of familiarity. I went in closer, but I wasn’t able to identify the person. It was probably just a retired bounty hunter. More and more have been retiring because jobs have been taken so much faster. 

My thoughts wandered back to the group, but the sound of a sewer lid spinning on my right made my eyes shoot open. 

“Hold your fire,” I said as soon as I sensed three forms underneath the lid. Two of them were troopers. 

Sure enough, Waxer and Boil climbed to the surface, Waxer holding a teal twi’lek girl. 

As soon as Waxer and Boil climbed out of the hole, they proceeded to talk to Obi-Wan, the twi’lek girl clinging to Waxer. 

“Qa’ku nur panqi?” I asked, crouching so that I was at eye level with her. 

“Numa.” 

“Luhak'ku li panqi hirani, mine chir Mara,” I smiled. Numa started to move away from Waxer’s leg, her brown eyes shining. 

“Mara Kanto?” she asked, tilting her head. 

“Yeah, nu've heard jehsa ma?” I asked. The fact that she knew my name was scaring me. 

“Jehsa course ril xama, misha tellku great storieku about nu,” Numa smiled, her eyes washing over me, “Her panqi chir Hestia.” 

And there’s my answer. Hestia was alive. She had a daughter. My hand flew to my neck and I jumped. The necklace Hestia gave me on our anniversary. It was still there. I guess a part of me forgot about it when I thought she died. 

It was simple, a gold rod. Only an inch long. It rested on a smaller silver chain, right next to the holofile. So small, with so much meaning.

How did I forget about it? How did I never take it off?

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I’m fine Master,” I nodded. I rose, my face turning white. 

Obi-Wan knelt down with Numa, talking about the base. In a minute we were taking the tunnels to the base. 

I placed my hands on my lightsabers, knowing what I needed to do. 

We crouched through the tunnels, coming out to a cave with cages along one wall. Obi-wan and I were in the front, Cody and Numa behind us, and everyone else behind them. 

“Cody, Mara, we’re going to need a distraction. I’ll get the twi’leks,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Master, could I go with you?” I asked, “I have a plan that will work.” 

“Verywell,” Obi-Wan nodded. 

Obi-Wan and I ran to the right while everyone else ran to the left. Numa, of course, stayed in the tunnel. The clay center was making it much harder to get around, as I couldn’t blend in as well as I wanted to. 

“So what is the plan?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Wait for Cody’s signal,” I responded, not wanting to tell him what I’m planning. 

As soon as I finished my sentence, Cody and the others started firing at the droids. I sprinted forward without a second thought. 

“Hestia!” 

Her head shot up out of the crowd of twi’leks, her eyes meeting mine. I pulled out one of my lightsabers and threw it to her. She leapt up instantly, flipping and landing beside me. 

“We need to talk,” she said instantly as droids started firing at us. We deflected the bolts that shot at us, the purple hue of the lightsaber shining against Hestia’s skin. 

“Right now? In the middle of a battle?” I asked, tumbling forward and cutting through a B2. 

“Later then.” 

We continued slicing through droids as more of the twi’leks continued to run into the tunnels. Obi-Wan came up on my side and started deflecting with us. He looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it.

By the end of the battle, droid parts were everywhere. Scattered across the sand, burn marks litterine the walls. These people could rebuild, it’s what the twi’leks always did. 

We walked outside, to the outskirts of the city, in complete silence. Hestia disappeared, most likely to be with her family. Obi-Wan, Cody, Waxer, Boil, Sam, Carson, and Max stood in a circle, and I walked over. 

They were discussing when Anakin and Master Windu would be landing. Anakin in the main capital and Master Windu here in a few minutes. My mind wandered, my fingers clasping the gold rod hanging around my neck. I couldn’t think about anything other than the fact that Hestia was alive. She had a daughter. 

“Mara?” a small voice said, a teal hand pulling on the hem of my shirt. 

“Hey there Numa,” I smiled, turning around and kneeling so that I was at her eye level. 

“Jun parentku want ael talk ael nu,” Numa smiled, pointing to a pair of blue twi’leks. Hestia and her husband. 

“I said that we needed to talk,” Hestia called, holding out my lightsaber to me. 

“Yes you did,” I nodded. I reached my hand to the back of my neck, undoing the clasp that rested at the back of my neck. I swept the necklace into my palm, forcing my hand into a fist at my side. I walked away from the group, knowing that they would at least try to listen in. And I already felt the ghost of that necklace around my neck. Like it was supposed to go back. 

But how could it?

“Ril anu ael say ril waku sorry,” Hestia sighed, her husband and daughter walking away. 

“Nu xama li zen'ka hirani,” I said, trying to change the subject. I didn’t want Hestia’s apology. Family always got her going. 

“Alwayku changing kor topic,” she laughed, shaking her head. I hate the way that my heart fluttered when she did. 

“Why didn’t you try? At least try to come back? The plan was that we would go together. I would have gone back for you,” I said, tears trying to come to my eyes. But I wasn’t going to cry. She didn’t deserve my tears. I didn’t even care enough to know what language I was speaking.

“I know and I’m sorry--” 

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. Sorry doesn’t stop the electricity. The pain. The war. The betrayal,” I sighed, shaking. I turned away, trying to shield myself from the pain that I had pushed down all these years, only for it to get shoved into my face again. It was like the necklace. Something that was there so often that I forgot about it. But the ghost of it still lingered. 

“Sorry doesn’t fix your mistakes.” 

“At least take your lightsaber,” she sighed. Her arm lifted, showing the hilt of my blade, the narrow, almost flat end of my knives pointing at me. 

I reached out my hand and grabbed my lightsaber. But not before slipping the necklace that she had given me, all those years ago, back into her hand. 

I walked away before she could respond. 

~*~*~

We’ve freed Ryloth. Master Windu and Colin took the capital and are in charge of cleanup. Master Kenobi and I joined Anakin and Ahsoka and that’s where I am. 

Laying on my side in my room on the Venator. The room was dull, grey. A table with a chair was overlooking the window to space. The file was resting on that table, having a blue light flood the room. 

“Alright, get up.” 

Jules burst into the room, shining light throughout and blinding me. I groaned in response. 

“No, you have been moping here for a week now and since you won’t tell anyone why, I’m dragging you out,” she said, the blue light ending. A cold hand wrapped around my ankle and I was promptly yanked off of the bed. 

“Jesus, you’re not a vampire, come on.” 

I centered my weight so that it would be harder for her to pull me, but that didn’t happen. When did she get so strong? 

“What’re you doing Jules?” Anakin’s voice rang out from the other side of the door. I just closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. 

“Well, Generals, Captain, I’m trying to get this sorry soul out of the bed she’s been in for the past week.” 

A shadow fell over the room and I groaned. 

“Now what are you doing on the floor?” Obi-Wan sighed. I could almost hear the crossed arms and the eye roll, “Does this have anything to do with that twi’lek who could use a lightsaber?” 

“Wait, Hestia’s alive?!” Jules shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls. 

“Too loud,” I responded instantly, covering my ears, “And yes, she is happily married with a daughter.” 

“Turn around, I need to have a conversation with her,” Jules ordered Anakin. 

“Jules, it’s fine. I’m fine,” I said, getting up and running my fingers through my knotted hair. 

“First off, that’s bullshit. And second, after what happened after she ‘died’ I’m not leaving you alone,” Jules said, looking at me. 

My head instantly shot up. 

“Jango told you?!” 

“Embo too,” she shrugged. 

I stumbled to my feet and came face to face with 4 very concerned faces. Obi-Wan had a very stoic way of worry. Anakin, however, looked like he was on the verge of instant panic. Jules was stubborn, as normal, but Rex looked just confused. 

“Out, all of you,” I said, flicking my hands at them in a ‘shoo-shoo’ fashion. 

“Nope, I’m kidnapping you,” Jules smiled, “But first you might want to clean up.” 

“Exactly, so out,” I groaned, “And that’s not how kidnapping works.” 

I finally got them out of the room, but I had no clue what Jules was planning. 

I decided to change up what I was wearing. I had my normal underclothes, but I pulled on a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of very mobile blue jeans. I pulled my boots and bomber jacket on, then my eyes landed on the mirror. 

I had bags under my eyes and my hair was a rats nest. Grabbing my brush, I pulled it through my hair and eventually it was nice enough that I could do something with it. Quickly, and sloppily, I braided my hair. 

By the time I walked out of my room, I was pretty sure that everyone had given up on me leaving. I walked to where I was sure everyone would be, the command deck. 

Sure enough, everyone was surrounding a holo table, with Felucia being centered. 

“Let me guess, we’re going to Felucia?” I sighed, but this is what I needed. To get back into the field. 

“Yup,” Ahsoka nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last thing, I'm going to try and put in more of different languages throughout the book and I wanted your opinion on this. A bunch of the languages have a mixture of that language and English. Let me know if you would rather the different languages stay the way that they are, or would you rather have translations at the end of the chapters.


	22. Chapter 22

“Anyone got a plan?” I shouted. Rex and Cody were with Anakin and Obi-Wan. Ahsoka and I were trying to hold an area and the badass batch, minus the twins and Ral, were the only ones left. 

“Stay alive until backup comes along?” Max shouted over his shoulder as he fired a shot with his bazooka. 

Ahsoka angrily smashed her comm, her face fixed in a scowl. 

“What is it?” I shouted, deflecting a bolt and throwing my lightsaber to start cutting droids. 

“They want us to retreat! Can’t they see that the tinnies are running?!” Ahsoka shouted, grunting when she deflected a pair of bolts.

“They aren’t running Ahsoka! They’re coming around the back to surround us!” I shouted. I maneuvered my lightsabers so that I could run up next to her. 

“You don’t know that!” she shouted at me. Carriers started flying over our heads, Anakin and Obi-Wan inside them. Before she could do otherwise, I grabbed Ahsoka’s wrist and ran with her to the carriers. 

We all loaded on and a second later we were in the air. The remainder of our AT-TE was blown to bits as the B1s flooded out of the winding forests. 

The council meeting was going to be fun. 

~*~*~

“Padawan’s Ahsoka and Mara, do you feel Master Kenobi’s description of the incident is accurate?” Master Windu asked. Colin stood behind him and he looked like he wanted to scream. 

“Yes, my Masters. Other than Mara was trying to get me to fall back. She saw what I didn’t,” Ahsoka sighed, bowing her head. She was holding something back. 

“More to add, have you?” Master Yoda asked. 

“I know I was wrong. I just got so caught up in my own success, I didn’t look at the battle as a whole. I wasn’t being disobedient, I just forgot.” 

“Masters, this incident is my responsibility,” Anakin said, stepping forward, “Because of Ahsoka’s advanced abilities, I forgot how young she is. I gave her more freedom than I should have.” 

“That may be, but it doesn’t excuse what happened on Felucia,” Master Windu said, “for either of the Padawans.” 

Up until now, my eyes had been stealing glances around the room. The huge glass windows showed the bustling city of Coruscant. The speeders rushing around had held my attention, along with the hypnotizing signs with various announcements and advertisements.

“I think they need some time off the battlefield,” Master Windu continued. 

“On Archive security, reflect on your actions you can, Padawans,” Master Yoda said. The entire room fell into silence. When Master Yoda said something, it was best to listen. And an outburst was only going to make things worse. 

“Guard duty!?” Ahsoka all but shouted, before asking sheepishly, “For how long?”

“Longer, now” Master Windu said before waving his hand. Ending the meeting. 

I walked out of the room with Anakin and Ahsoka, as Obi-Wan had to stay with the council. My eyes wandered further and traced the walls. The carvings in the pillars and the stories they told. 

We walked into the blue-lighted library and to the computers. A woman sat in front of one of them. She wore a long gold cloak which kissed the floor and her hair was raised around her head in a bun. A single lightsaber rested on her hip and she had tired but bright eyes. 

“Madame Jocasta Nu, this is Ahsoka Tano and Mara Kanto,” Anakin introduced us, “They are going to be your new security officers.” 

“Hello Madame,” Ahsoka and I nodded in unison. 

“So good to meet the both of you,” Madame Jocasta smiled. She proceeded to show us around the library and the maze of bookshelves. Apparently many of the texts were forbidden for us to see. 

We walked up to the holocron vault, which was sealed shut by a giant metal door. She said some information about different holocrons. 

“Good morning Master Fisto,” Madame Jocasta nodded as the Master walked past up. He walked up to the panel and used the Force to turn it. 

The door quietly slid open, he walked in, and the door glided shut behind him. 

“Can we go inside?” Ahsoka asked, but I already knew the answer as we turned around and started walking back. 

“Oh, I’m afraid not my dear. I haven’t been inside myself for years. Only members of the Jedi Council are allowed access. Guarding the holocrons is one of the most important duties a Jedi can be given. Do you two think that you’re up for the task?” 

“Definitely,” Ahsoka nodded. I nodded with her, but stayed silent. 

Madame Jocasta walked away to tend to the library and I turned to the togruta, “You take the left, I take the right?” 

“Sure,” Ahsoka smiled. 

I walked off to the right and turned down one of the many bookshelves. I reached out with the Force, and frowned. Someone was planning something. Cad was going to do something, but there was a dark shadow around him. I couldn’t identify it. 

I pulled back and kept just feeling around the temple. The shadow wasn’t as strong here, but it was still here. 

I kept a part of my mind in the Force, but also walked around the library. There was so much here. My fingers grazed the shelves, but I had started to feel a pull. I walked until I came to the holocron vault. 

As soon as Master Fisto walked out of the vault, there was a pull. It was something I had never felt before. It was like I had to go there, I needed to go there. But the door slid shut and the pull was gone. 

“Ah, Padawan Mara, I was hoping to run into you,” Master Fisto smiled, “I just wanted to say that I was against punishing you.” 

“Thank you,” I nodded. What else could I say? Master Yoda agreed with the punishment, and it wasn’t like Master Fisto could go against that. 

We stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Master Fisto nodded and walked away. That wasn’t at all weird. 

I shook off the feeling and walked away and down a few corridors. I turned down a few halls, and a few hours later, the tugging had come back. Even when I wasn’t partly submerged in the pools of the Force, there it was. I followed the tugging, knowing that it wouldn’t stop until I followed it to the end. I followed the pull for what felt like an eternity before coming to a hall that was completely lit by holobooks. 

When I turned the last corner, I smiled. Three of the walls surrounding me were pure bookshelf, a blue-ish hue flooding from them. Light and dark blue, cyan, and even indigo lights were here. Much more color than the main halls. At the end of the shelfs was a small desk and chair, both dark grey while all the ones in the main hall were white. I couldn’t help but smile at the lights that the holobooks gave, it was amazing.

But one of the lights was more green than blue. It was kind of behind one of the holobooks, so I pulled the first holobook off of the shelf and slid it onto the desk.

I stood on my toes and peered inside. That was definitely both the source of the pull, and the holocron. It looked like there was a pale green crystal inside it and was rimmed in gold. I reached my hand in, though it quickly became my whole arm, and closed my fist when I felt the cool, smooth surface of the holocron. 

I pulled my arm out and held the holocron, humming with both a light and a shadow in its Force. I placed the square holocron back on the desk and reshelved the holobook. I pulled out the chair and sat down in front of the holocron, not at all knowing what I was doing.

I rested my arms, palms up, on either side of the holocron. Closing my eyes, I reached further into the Force and gripped the holocron, willing it to open. With a click of the holocron, the corners had turned and it was open. A small green crystal in the shape of a diamond rose, shining green. 

Slowly, the light moved and changed color to create a symbol. It was my tattoo, the black, spiked circle. But it also had blue jaig eyes in the center. 

A low, gravelly voice, unlike the mechanical sound that Cad's held, rang out as the symbol faded away as a poem the shade of silver took its place. 

“A fighter like no other. 

One of Force

and strength. 

“A lover like no other. 

One of peace

and example. 

“From the people’s cries, 

The Guide will rise.”

“What. The. Hell?” I whispered. My focus snapped and the holocron shut off. My comm started blinking and I clicked it. 

“Padawans, alert, you both must be. Sense deception, I do. Posing as a jedi, the intruder is. Find Madame Jocasta, you both must.” 

“Yes, Master Yoda,” I nodded, biting my lip to keep from making an Among Us reference. Hopefully the twins will understand. 

I quickly reshelved the holocron and started running back to the main hall. The lights brightened and the blue of the holobooks stayed on the shelves. I turned the corner and ran straight into Ahsoka. 

“Where’s Madame Jocasta?” I asked in a whisper. 

“At the index, I think. Why are we whispering?” Ahsoka asked in return. 

“I think I know who’s here, and she could be someone else,” I whispered, thinking of Cato Parasitti. She was my main teacher in deception, but she was also a shapeshifter. 

Ahsoka and I walked the rest of the way to the main hall. Madame Jocasta was sitting at one of the index screens, but she was talking to Cad Bane. 

“Who are you and what have you done with Madame Jocasta?” Ahsoka asked before I could stop her. We both pulled out our lightsabers, holding them backhanded. 

“The same thing I’m going to do with you!” she snapped, diving for Ahsoka with a blue lightsaber drawn. Definitely Cato. 

“Cato!” I shouted, waving one of my lightsabers, “It seems like you’ve lost your touch.” 

“It seems like the student still has one last lesson to learn,” Cato snapped. Prideful as ever. 

She dove at me with the lightsaber in quick and aggressive moves, making me grumble. She was never a clean fighter.

She bolted through the library, jumping on tables, only to trip over the robes and fall. She tumbled to the floor and Ahsoka and I both put our lightsabers to her neck. 

“You may have Madame Jocasta’s form, but not her skill,” Ahsoka sneered as Cato turned back to her original form. 

“Where is Cad Bane?” I growled. I was not having this. 

“He’s already in the vault, there isn’t a point,” Cato smiled. 

I lifted my com to just below my chin, “Master Skywalker, Ahsoka and I have captured the imposter disguised as a Jedi. She says the intruder is in the holocron vault.” 

I ended the connection and turned my head in time to see cato looking at me. 

“You’ve changed,” she spat, “you said that you would never be a Jedi, yet here you are. Going back on your word. What would Jango think? His prize student, his daughter, going back on her word and world, her family. And becoming a Jedi. Does the guild mean nothing to you? Jedi?”

Her words fill with more and more poison, spitting the last word like it’s lethal. 

“You have said enough,” Ahsoka said, guiding her lightsaber closer to Cato’s neck. 

“It’s fine Ahsoka,” I say, despite her words digging under my skin. I pick up Cato by the back of her neck and handcuff her. 

We started walking to the librarian, Ahsoka taking over as Security started walking into the room. A cloaked figure brushed past us, staying to the outside of the giant group. 

I reached into that person's being and it was almost like Cad. But there was something else. Guilt. And sorrow. Best not to get the guards. 

I followed the cloaked person until we were outside and alone. 

“Cad,” I called to him. 

“You should go,” he said, keeping his head down. It was definitely him, his gravelly voice making his identity clear. 

“That’s not going to happen,” I said, placing a hand on my lightsaber. 

“Cato shouldn’t have said those things,” Cad said, holding onto the but in his sentence, “but she was right. No hunter shall interfere with another’s hunt. Don’t make me do this.”  
“Hand over the holocron. That should fix everything,” I shrugged. 

In an instant, Cad dove at me, fist raised. I guided his fist around my head and dove under him. I raised my fists, though I didn’t plan on fighting him. The wide brimmed hat that Cad gave me had flown off to the side, not that that was the main focus of my attention. 

I dove to the side as Cad advanced again. He drew his blaster and aimed it at my head. I froze. Not out of fear, but confusion. Cad’s hand was shaking. He lowered the blaster and looked away before firing. 

I deflected the bolt from my arm with the Force and tumbled forward.

I felt a hand close around my neck and a needle dive into my flesh. The world started to spin. I tried to get up, to move my legs, to do something, but everything just turned to noodles. Black dots danced across my vision, Cad in the center. I tried to open my mouth, but nothing came out.

“I… really am… sorry,” Cad sighed, his voice shaking.

The last thing I remember was Cad’s arms sliding around me, picking me up. And walking to a nearby speeder, the sounds of Coruscant fading around me. 


	23. Chapter 23

Whatever Cad injected me with really worked. My eyelids felt like they were glued shut and I had no clue where I was. The room was entirely silent, but I wasn’t the only life form here. I think I’m hanging, my hands are pulled away and my feet are just hanging here. 

Nononononono. This isn’t happening. I forced my eyes open, just in time to see that was hanging in a electrical torture chamber. My time in the Citadel and with Dooku flashed through my mind. The rushed through, faster and faster, increasing from a ripple to a full on tidal wave. 

A part of me is screaming to run, to get out. Like I could. I forced my eyes to close as tight as they could go and tried to breathe. 

5 things I can see: the plain walls, the door, the podium below me, the cuffs, the light coming from the podium. 

4 things I can touch: my own skin, the cuffs, my hair, my clothes. 

3 things I can hear: the ventilator cleaning the air, the electricity running through the walls, my own breathing. 

2 things I can smell: electricity, charge residue. 

1 thing I can taste: the stale air. 

I opened my eyes again, my breathing even and my heart not in my ears. I looked around the room and there was a flash of green behind me. I turned further around and there was a teal Rodian behind me. Please tell me he speaks Galactic Basic. 

His robes belonged to the Jedi order, but I had never seen him before. 

“Master,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. 

“You’re braid…” he mumbled, “You’re a Padawan.” 

“Yes,” I nodded, “Do you know where we are?” 

“A ship,” he whispered, his head moving to one side, “Cad Bane wants the children.” 

“The younglings,” I whispered. 

“You must not open it. Promise me. Promise me,” he said, urgency seeping through his words. 

“I promise,” I say. As soon as my mouth closes, Cad and a torture droid walk into the room. 

I couldn’t help but look at Cad. The wide brimmed hat cast dark shadows over his dark blue skin, making his red eyes light up. The dark trench coat he wore only added to the creep. I saw the glint of a blaster at his hip, but he wouldn’t use it. On his other hip hung three lightsabers. My black one’s, and the Master’s silver one. 

My eyes went up the inside of his trench coat, catching on two glass marbles with blue smoke in them. My thoughts instantly fell to something that I thought I forgot. 

~*~*~

“Daddy? What are you working on?” the voice of a 4 year old asked. Her father was working at a high table, close to his midchest, and the girl-- his daughter-- was peering through the open clay doorway of the room. Her long, sandlike hair fell in curls down to her waist and her silver eyes brightened in the sunlight. 

“Come on Little Bird, I’ll show you,” he smiled. His dark blonde hair curled around his head and his silver eyes shined as his daughter’s did. 

The girl started walking towards her father, her eyes taking in the room. There were various tools for machinery that lined the walls, but the table the girls father was at held various tubes and colored fluids. 

When his daughter was close enough, he placed his hands on either of her sides and lifted her up. As soon as she was solidly on the edge of the table, she spun around and looked at what he’s doing. 

“I’m mixing these together, and now it can do this,” the father smiled. He picked up one of the marble-like objects with curling blue smoke and crushed it. In a burst of blue smoke, he was across the room. 

“That’s so cool Daddy!” ‘Little Bird’ laughed. 

“Well, your father has had a habit of making amazing things,” A woman smiled, a hand running over her pregnant belly, her wedding ring shining in the light. She had pale blonde hair and bright purple eyes. She walked up to the man and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Now come on Mara, lunch is ready,” she smiled, picking up Mara and balancing her on the hip, “You coming?” 

“Definitely,” the father smiled, following his wife and daughter. 

~*~*~

“You are going to open the holocron for me,” he said, his voice combing with his look, giving him the look of a dangerous man. A killer. He walked around to behind me, but when his footsteps stopped, the droids did a moment later. A moment after that, the metal hand of the droid clamped down on the control panel that was no doubt behind me. 

“We will do no such thing,” the Master said. 

“I know that you Jedi are stubborn, but some shocks ought to help you reconsider,” he laughed. One of the droids pulled a lever and a wave of electricity made its way through our veins. I pressed my lips together as a prickle of shock ran through my veins. 

Behind me, the Master had started screaming. It was bubbly and wet, not at all like the dry screams that I’m used to hearing. 

This is how it went for the next few hours. Cad would ask, we would refuse, we would get electrocuted. By now I had closed my eyes and planned to just let the pain pass. 

“Hit them again, full power,” Cad said, my eyes snapping open. If he was doing that, then people were coming. 

The electricity hit us, harder than ever before. The pain increased to the point where it was actually hurting me. The electricity increased tenfold and my back arched as I tried not to scream. 

My breath flew out of me when the electricity ended and I felt the Master go limp behind me. Damn it. 

Cad walked around and looked at me. Then he walked out of the room. 

A few minutes later, he burst back in. 

“You are far too stubborn to open this, but one of your Jedi pals will,” he growled. He pulled a fabric out of god knows where and tied a few knots with ease before tying it around my head. The fabric sat in place at my neck, the knot sliding into my mouth. 

Cad grabbed the front of my shirt, which sent a waft of burnt oil up my nose. Don’t even ask me where the oil came from. He pulled me from the podium, cutting all the light in the room. 

He shoved me out of the room, keeping a hand clenched around my body. His other hand held a blaster to my temple. He marched me down the hall and to the main hanger, but something was off. No matter how fast I was, I would never be faster than Cad’s trigger finger.

He felt almost hesitant. He kicked me down to my knees and pressed the blaster harder against my temple. That’s when I saw it. There weren’t any charges in the blaster. And Cad knew. 

My eyes flashed to him, but he wouldn’t look at me. What was wrong with him?

A second later, multiple troopers burst into the room, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Rex in the front. 

“Let. Her. Go,” Anakin growled. Oh god. 

“Welcome Jedi, we’ve been expecting you,” Cad smiled. The droids I hadn’t even noticed behind us opened fire. Cad instantly threw me to the floor over to a side. 

I rolled to my feet and glared at him, now at eye level, as he pulled out the other blaster. 

“Why aren’t there any charges?” I asked, glaring at him, untying the rope around my head, “You said the most stupid thing a Hunter could do was not put in his charges.” 

“Capture by design, kill by necessity,” he growled in return, not stopping his rapidfire at Anakin. 

“Yes, because you’ve always followed that rule,” I laughed. 

With a flash of the lights, the gravity turns off and I instantly jump next to one of the fuel cells. Cad, on the other hand, was still firing at Anakin, completely staying on the ground. 

Before I could think to do anything else, I push off the fuel cell with my feet as hard as I can. I try to guide the bolts away from myself, and the fuel cells. I wasn’t planning on dying today and it’s going to stay that way. I sailed closer to Cad, much faster than I originally thought, and crashed right into him. 

We tumbled to the ground, and I instantly grabbed for my lightsabers. I wrapped my fingers around them and pulled away. I was now hovering in mid air, and I pulled out both my lightsaber. 

Rex shouted something behind me, but I wasn’t listening. I started deflecting the bolts as I drifted further back. Something happened and the gravity shut off.

I fell to the ground, but instantly threw up my hands to catch myself. I push my top half up to the point where I’m standing straight up. My feet hit the ground and Ahsoka goes running past. 

“Ahsoka wait!” Anakin shouted, holding up a trooper to keep him from falling on his head. 

“I got her!” I shouted, running after Ahsoka. The ceiling started to collapse around me, making a lot of people shout out. Anakin’s, Rex’s, Riley’s, and Jules’ voices were all swirling around me as I leapt over the pieces of metal falling from various parts of the ship. 

I manage to get through the doorway right before it gets blocked, stumbling as the metal starts to pour into the room and the pipes from the ceiling line up perfectly so that if Anakin wasn’t on the other side, there wouldn’t be any ways that the troopers would get through. 

I ran down a few of the halls, only to start sprinting when I heard Ahsoka screaming. I turn down a few corners and find Cad dragging Ahsoka into a room at the end of the hall. 

“Let. Her. Go,” I snapped, my steps punctuating every word. 

Cad threw Ahsoka into the room and turned back to me, “You lost to me once. What makes you think you’ll win this time?” 

“This time,” I said, a dangerous smile coming to my lips, “I won’t hold back.” 

I charged at Cad, forcing him on the defense. He dove under me, but I changed direction and rolled to the ground. I jumped back to my feet as Cad dove at me. I side stepped before doubling back, slamming my elbow into his back. 

Cad collapsed to the ground and I ran forward to where Ahsoka laid unconscious.

Out of nowhere, a sharp pain ripped through my knee, making me crumble to the ground. 

I spun around and punched Cad square in the face. He stumbled back as I got back to my feet, leaning almost entirely on my left leg.

I tried to stay on the balls of my feet--well, more foot-- as Cad kept trying to punch me. I guided the fists over my shoulders and around my head as his attacks kept getting faster and faster. One of my hands slipped into his coat and I grabbed both of the glass marbles. Then I got back to the less fun job of blocking his hits.

He kneed me in the gut as I was blocking his fists. That distracted me long enough for him to hit me with the end of his gun, dazing me. My head started ringing and I’m pretty sure that Cad concussed me. 

The next few minutes were nothing short of a haze. Cad started dragging me to the airlock chamber and set me down before walking back and getting Ahsoka. He threw her in like a ragdoll. He clipped handcuffs on both of us stupidly in front of us, my ties to the Force cut off. But for some reason he thought it was a good idea to not activate the magnetic feature. Walking away, he turned on the energy shield. 

“Ahsoka, you okay?” I slurred, sitting up. 

“Yeah, he electrocuted me,” she grunted, sitting up, “You’re bleeding!” 

“Too loud,” I flinched, “I think I have a concussion.” 

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Cad’s eyes trail the floor. He definitely was feeling something. 

I sat up and started blinking rapidly to keep the fresh blood from running through my eyes. If the world could stop spinning for a minute, that would be great. I saw Ahsoka starting to try and move her wrists. 

“Ahsoka. Wait--” I snapped. Ahsoka’s scream interrupted me and I couldn’t help but groan as electricity ran through her body. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, little lady,” Cad said, walking over to Ahsoka and pulling off her padawan braid, “These cuffs were made specifically for the Jedi.” 

“Then what about Mara?” Ahsoka asked, looking over at my electric blue handcuffs.

“Haven’t you heard?” Cad asked, walking over to me, “Mara has been electrocuted enough that those cuffs have no effect on her.”

“What?” Ahsoka said, “So what do those do?” 

“They suppress my ability to use the Force,” I sighed. Talking was so much work now. 

I wasn’t listening to what they were saying, I knew that Cad was baiting her. He was planning on getting Anakin here, and he was going to try and get him to open the holocron. Ahsoka started screaming and out of instinct, I dove forward and grabbed onto her wrist.

I grabbed onto the cuffs and the electricity flew through me. I bit on my lip, as the pain felt so much worse than normal. 

After a few minutes, he stopped the electricity and walked away. I collapsed onto the metal floor and Ahsoka instantly tried to pull me up.

“I’m fine Ahsoka,” I breathed out. 

“You just took goodness knows how many volts of electricity. You are not fine,” she said, laying me against the wall. 

“I was fine before, I’ll be fine now.”

I sat up and looked over to where Cad was looking at his comms. I turned back to Ahsoka and lifted a finger, pressing it to my mouth, then pointing back at Cad Bane. 

Ahsoka and I kept our heads down as Cad answered the comm. 

The summary was that Anakin was mad, and killed 3 droids. Great. 

“Nowhere left for you to run bounty hunter,” Anakin smiled, walking into the room. 

My eyes shot up and I looked at Anakin through the orange tinge. 

“Let me worry about that Jedi,” Cad smiled. I heard the barrels of at least 2 B2 droids load, “if I activate this control, the outside airlock will open and they will be sucked into oblivion. It’s a horrible way to die.” 

My fingers wrapped around the marbles and I silently hoped that I wouldn’t need to use one of them. 

“Do you think you can kill me, then keep them both from being sucked into space?” Cad smiled. I didn’t need to look at him to see that. 

“What do you want?” Anakin asked, putting his lightsaber away. 

“This holocron carries information I’ve been paid to collect. I can’t unlock it, but you can,” Cad said, moving the holocron through his fingers, “The last Jedi who had it wouldn’t open it. I hope you don’t make the same mistake.” 

The B2s stepped toward Anakin and I instantly shot up. 

“Anakin Skywalker, don’t. You. Dare,” I snapped, gaining a sorry look from Anakin. 

“No Master, don’t do it!” Ahsoka shouted, though she stayed on the ground.

“I’m sorry. I can’t let either of you die,” Anakin sighed. 

“Master! No!” Ahsoka cried out. 

But Anakin threw down his lightsaber and looked up at Cad, “We’ll deal with the holocron later.”

Anakin knelt down in front of the holocron and I knew what he was going to do. 

“Anakin Skywalker, if you open that holocron, you will have bigger problems than either Bane or the Council,” I growled. 

But the holocron still opened and Cad walked forward, trying to hide the reflexive flinch. That’s not something you can hide, “Now I will combine this holocron with the memory crystal that I acquired from your dead Jedi friend.” 

Bane slid in the crystal into the holocron, and it slid shut, falling into Bane’s hand. In an instant, Anakin had called Ahsoka and his lightsabers into his hands, deflecting bolts and slicing through the B2s. Bane opened the airlock, causing both Ahsoka and myself to dive for the walls.

The suction from the wall wasn’t really helping as my fingers started to slip on a nearby pipe. Anakin threw the top half of one of the B2s at the controls, causing the energy shield to shut off. Anakin flew through the air, landing on the wall opposite to me, though he was able to hold onto the rim of the doorway, while I was halfway down the wall. 

Bane had already used, I kid you not, his rocket boots to fly out of the room, the door shutting behind him. Apparently, the added pressure caused my comm to give up, as that almost took off my nose as it flew off into space. Just perfect. 

My fingers slipped even more as Anakin pressed the button to close the airlock, but I knew I wouldn’t make it. I slipped the marble-like thing into my hand and smiled at Anakin. 

“Mara! Just a little longer,” he shouted, his eyes flashing to my fingers, only the tips keeping me from falling into space. 

So I let go.

I heard Anakin shout after me as I fell into the open air. I stopped breathing as the airlock closed. I closed my eyes as the frost flew over my face, the cold overtaking me. I crushed the ball in my hand and thought of Bane as the blue smoke flew over my body.

“What the--” Bane said as I fell on top of him. 

I rolled to my feet as the blood started to rush back to my head and I could breathe again. 

“You really thought you could get rid of me?” I asked, looking at him, though he was quickly gaining an identical sibling. 

I looked around and we were on a balcony. 

“Commander Kanto? General Skywalker said you were dead?” One of the troopers said, coming up behind us. Denal, I think. 

“I am not a Commander,” I slurred. I hate that the title spread to the 501st. 

“If you want to fight, then prove it,” Bane growled, starting to throw punches in my direction. 

“And here I thought we all agreed Jango coined that term,” I said, two Banes officially appearing now. Like I haven’t fought with oxygen deprivation before. 

“Tell me, how is it?” Bane asked as I blocked his hits, “Being surrounded by people that look like him? Fight like him. It must be awfully boring to be surrounded by the same person. The same father.” 

“They aren’t Jango,” I growled, kicking Jango in the side, “Jango is dead. They may look like him, but they are far from him. I don’t know why you hold onto Jango like some dependent child, but your fight with him was more childish than a child’s fight over a stick doll.” 

“You wouldn’t be saying this unless… you fell through the airlock,” Bane realized, looking at me. I froze for a moment, but that was all he needed. He kicked me in the gut, sending me over the rail. 

I did frontflips as the crates below me came up faster and faster. I wasn’t able to get a hold on the Force, the cuffs still on my hands. 

But I stopped. I looked over to the ship and saw Anakin levitating me. He set me on the ground, and before I even got up, Anakin was already picking me up and taking me to the ship.

“I want a medical team waiting when we land and an oxygen mask on her now,” Anakin ordered, laying me on the floor. 

“Yessir,” Rex nodded, pulling out an oxygen mask and pulling it over my head, “Hold on Commander, just a little longer.” 

“Rex,” I groaned, him looking at me. I didn’t need him to take off his helmet to see that he was worried, “not you too.” 

“At least your humor is still intact,” Rex laughed, cutting through the tension.

Everyone rushed into the carrier, almost at once, and we were off. The ship blew up almost immediately after we left and I couldn’t help but smile as everyone I cared about was accounted for. 

“Mara,” Anakin said, kneeling down to me, “next time you choose to take a spacewalk, make sure you’re wearing the right gear first.” 

“Yes, because I can always lug around an extra spacesuit,” I smiled. 

One thing kept me from passing out though. I could still sense Bane, despite everyone saying he was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The method that Mara uses at the beginning of this is a real grounding technique. If you are feeling any sort of stress, this technique can help to center yourself/ calm you down. And with that, thank you and have a good day/night/whatever time it is where you are.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does briefly mention suicide. Please read with caution.

“Are you alright to walk?” Rex asked, sliding a hand around my sides. I sat up and started balancing on my one uninjured foot. 

We walked out of the dropship, Rex staying with me as we made our way down the ramp.

“You’re no clone!” Ahsoka shouted, holding onto a ‘troopers’ arm. That person burst out and away, sprinting toward a nearby ship. 

Out of instinct, I tried to run after Bane, but Rex instantly picked me up by the waist and started carrying me to the med bay. 

“Really?” I asked when we made it to a hall. 

“Yes, really,” Rex retorted. The way his helmet distorted his voice was starting to be normal now. 

“You don’t need to carry me anymore,” I said, keeping from ordering him around. I didn’t want to use that power against him. 

“Doesn’t he though?” Jules laughed, coming around the corner, “You do have a habit of running toward things when you're injured.” 

“I can take her from here,” Colin joined in, Riley close behind. 

“Yes, sir,” Rex nodded, setting me on the ground. A moment after Rex left my side, Colin swooped in and supported me as we limped further down the hall, everyone else keeping pace with us. 

We eventually made our way into the med bay, where Kix was busy applying bacta to someone’s arm. 

“I got it Kix,” Colin waved when Kix got up, who nodded in thanks and went back to work, “Riley, get the bacta, Jules make sure that Master Kenobi know’s his padawan is safe. Rex, I… don’t think I have anything for you.” 

“That’s alright sir, I should check in with the General anyway,” Rex nodded, walking out of the room. Jules ran out a second later, with Riley rifling through the medical cabinets and Colin setting me down on the bed. 

“Your options are to clean the wound on your own, or you’re going to get a new pair of tights, because there is no way that they are going to stay in one piece with me treating them,” Colin said, looking around where I was shot. 

“I have a spare pair of clothes for a reason, I already changed the shirt,” I shrugged. Colin instantly grabbed a pair of scissors and started cutting through my tights. 

By the time Riley came over with the bacta, over half of my tights were reduced to spare fabric. Riley quickly handed the jar to Colin and ran to the doorway, “You know I hate the smell.” 

That was another reason the Kaminoans didn’t like Riley. Her sensitive nose made it impossible to go onto a battlefield without her casually deciding not to participate, as the training bolts they used released a smell like burning flesh on biological contact. 

Colin dipped his fingers into the jar and pulled out a fingerful of gel, proceeding to rub it in slow circles around the new hole in my leg. The cool cream instantly soothed the burning feeling that until now, adrenaline coated. 

When he finished, Colin recapped the jar and put it back, sighing, “I got to go, Master Windu is summoning me.”

“Oh, go. Don’t keep him waiting,” I said, waving my hand toward the door. Colin smiled at me, then ran out. By now, Kix and the other trooper had left and no one was going to update me on anything anytime soon. 

“What is it?” I asked, looking over at Riley, who was biting on her lip. It was always a sign that she wanted to say something, even though she didn’t plan on it. 

“I feel like you… like you’re leaving us. You’ve been working with General Kenobi, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, and Cody. I just… I feel like you’re forgetting us,” Riley sighed, walking so that she was next to me. 

“Why do I feel like anything I say will be wrong?” I sighed, letting out a dry laugh, “I’m sorry. It’s been one battle after the other and I don’t really know how much time I’ll ever have. But I promise, the next time that we’re on Coruscant, we will spend time together. All of us.” 

“Actually, I had an idea,” Riley smiled, sitting down next to me, “With this war going on, none of us really know when we will be able to perform again. So what if we did a final one?” 

“I like that idea, but it’s not like we could say something immediately that is going to happen. We can’t give them a week to plan,” I sighed, commenting on the fans. They would be merciless. 

“When’s the next time that Obi-Wan and Anakin with their legions are stationed on Coruscant?” Riley asked with a smile dancing across her face. 

“About 4 months from now, but would that be enough time? And you know that we would need to find a time that fit for everyone,” I said, but Riley’s smile only grew. 

“I’m sorry, why am I the planner if not to make this stuff happen with a small amount of time?” Riley asked, tilting her head to the side. 

“Fair point,” I laughed, “Can you let everyone know when you have a location set?” 

“Why yes, of course I can,” she smiled, bowing in her seat. 

I laid down with a smile on my face, sighing, “What do you think Jango would have said? If he knew I was a Jedi.” 

“He would be proud of you, to be able to forgive the people that hurt you and keep fighting,” Riley smiled, “How’s it coming?” 

“How’s what coming?” I asked, immediately grabbing the drive around my neck. 

“You are such a terrible liar,” Riley laughed, “The serum. Your dad mentioned it, then I saw the drive. How’s it coming?” 

“Apparently in the tubes, the Kamonians released a series of chemicals to age the troopers twice as fast,” I sighed, “I almost have everything figured out, but I need to know what those chemicals are in order to undo what they did.” 

“You plan on finding this on the magical day we wind up on Kamino?” Riley smiled. 

“Yup,” I smiled, popping the p. 

“Guys!” Colin shouted, bursting into the room at top speed, “They got Bane!” 

Guess more time passed than we thought. 

“I want to talk to him,” I shot up, my balance wavering when head rush came along. 

“You got shot in the leg and thrown into space. I think he’ll understand if you don’t visit him right away,” Colin said, steadying me, “Also, you need to put on your pants.” 

“I said that I was going to ask him questions, not that I was going to visit him,” I said, stealing the pair of dark blue jeans and pulling them on over my boots. They were bootcut anyway, so it got easier as I pulled them through. Shoving Colin off me, I started limping out the doorway. No one was going to like it, but they didn’t have to. 

I limped down corridor after corridor before coming to the detention block. The Masters had just started walking inside, but Colin and I slipped in at the last minute. 

“We know you’ve taken at least two children. Where are they?” Obi-Wan said, walking around the table to face Bane. I stayed in the far corner so that he couldn’t see me, as well as anyone else in the room. 

The three Jedi started walking around Bane in different directions. I think they were trying to intimidate him, but it was pointless. Bane does better with more pressure. 

“Beyond your reach,” Bane answered, his eyes wandering across the floor. 

“Who are you working for?” Windu asked, coming around from behind him. 

“I work alone,” Bane growled, his eyes moving up to Master Kenobi and Windu. His eyes fell over Obi-Wan’s shoulder for a moment, his eyes landing on me. For a moment, I saw a look, a flash, of remorse. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. 

“It’s only a matter of time before we locate the holocron. Make it easy on yourself,” Obi-Wan proposed, but Bane wasn’t going to take the offer. 

“What are you going to do, Jedi, torture me?” Bane asked with a smile on his face. They wouldn’t, it’s a war crime. But there was that false surrender that Obi-Wan pulled on Christophsis so… 

“I think… the fear of whoever you work for… outweighs your fear of us,” Master Windu thought aloud, only now noticing me. But thankfully, he didn’t say anything as he turned back around to face Bane. 

“This conversation is over,” Bane said, leaning back into the shadows. That’s a yes. 

Obi-Wan and Master Windu both walked out. Colin looked at me for a minute, before I nodded at him to go. 

As soon as Colin left the room, I walked out of the shadows and sat down in front of Bane. 

“You’ve remembered. Good. At least you learned something from me,” Bane grumbled.

“I learned a lot of things from you. Like how to lie,” I said, leaning forward, “You might have the Jedi puzzling, but not me. You’re scared of whoever employed you. The kids are on the Outer Rim somewhere. And the only truth you told was that you were working alone in gathering the kids.”

Bane stayed silent.

“Tell me, how did it feel? To know that you sent a Jedi into space?” I asked, leaning back in my chair. If I got a rise out of him, I could get some good entail. 

“That wasn’t supposed to happen!” he shouted, shooting up from his chair. I pushed him back down with the Force, knowing that he was going to keep talking and that everyone on the other side of the door had heard, “You weren’t supposed to go through the airlock. Not for those Jedi. You could have died, but you didn’t care, did you?” 

“Who’s the person that put me in there?” I shot back, staying in my seat, “Who’s the person that shot me in the leg and set me up to die?” 

“You were the one who ran after me. You ran out as soon as you sensed me, like you could have helped in changing my mind,” Bane scoffed. 

“Would you rather I have sent the temple guards after you?” I asked, “I went after you because I knew that you wouldn’t try and kill me on the spot. Guess you changed your mind about that.” 

“What happened to you? You let Hestia die and you disappear,” Bane shot up, “If we hadn’t kept an eye on you, you would have killed yourself. Then Fett suddenly swoops you away to Kamino and I don’t even know why you’re there. You don’t reach out, you don’t even try to contact anyone when you land on Endor. And when I finally saw you again, you were in a Ijaat Akay Kyr'am. After that, you’re chasing me through the temple and I have no choice but to take you. I knew that the shocks wouldn’t hurt you and when I shot you I knew that you would be alright. But something happened that shook you. The Jedi, the clones, and even your friends can’t tell. But you know I can, so say it. What. Is. Holding. You. Back?” 

“You see me as your daughter,” I realized. 

That stopped Bane. 

“Well then it must really suck knowing that you’ve broken her trust and need to start at square one again,” I said, taking a step back, falling back into the shadowed corner. 

Right then, the Masters as well as Ahsoka and Colin walked into the room standing beside me. When the Masters stopped walking, Anakin was on the left, Master Windu in the middle, and Master Kenobi on the left. 

“You will take us to the holocron,” Anakin said, the Force seeping through his words. If they thought one person was going to work, that was insane. But maybe it was a buildup. 

“Jedi mind tricks don’t work on me,” Bane smiled, but he could be dense sometimes. 

“You will take us to the holocron,” Anakin repeated with Obi-Wan joining in. 

“Forget it,” Bane tried. 

“You will take us to the holocron,” Master Windu joined in. 

“I… I won’t,” Bane breathed out. If he didn’t tell them soon, his mind would shatter. For some reason, I felt a ping of empathy for the man. 

“And you will take us now!” they all commanded. 

“I… I will take you. No! Get out of my head!” Bane shouted. If they broke his mind, we would never get anything back. 

Bane started groaning, on the verge of screaming because of the strain. I started stepping forward when they all pulled back. 

“Perhaps, we should try again,” Anakin growled, making me burst. 

“And shatter his mind! That sounds like a great idea!” I shouted, making all three of the Jedi turn around, “What? Didn’t know I was here?” 

“I… I’ve had enough of that. I’ll take you to the holocron. You’ll get your children back,” Bane gasped out. 

“Well, that’s settled then,” Anakin said, walking out of the room, Ahsoka following. 

“Ni’m ni ceta!” Bane shouted at me. This made Master Windu and Master Kenobi turn around. Colin raised a brow, being able to speak Mando’a had it’s perks. But I wish it were true. That he was sorry. 

“Are you? Or are you just dealing with guilt for the first time?” I asked, turning my back on him and walking out of the room. Well, more limped out of the room. 

“Sushir at ni!” Bane shouted, making me stop in my tracks. 

“Why should I?” I said, not looking at him, “You’ve lost my trust. And to be honest, I don’t even know you anymore.” 

I slammed my fist on the control panel, the energy field shutting him in. I limped further down the hall, Obi-Wan following me. 

“I can sense your pain, you know,” he nodded, keeping pace with me. Seemingly out of nowhere, he pulled out the wide-brimmed hat, “What’s on your mind?” 

“Well, one of the people that helped to raise me just threw me into space so…” I shrugged, taking the hat and pulling it down so that the shadows fell over my face. 

“You still have emotional ties to him?” Obi-Wan asked, making me look away. It wasn’t my emotions for him that were lingering. 

Bane was right. Hestia still being alive and leaving me behind shook me. I’ve been able to hide it from everyone else, but it’s been holding me back. She didn’t just break my trust, she shattered it. But it wasn’t like I was going to see her again, so why was I hanging onto it.

“Just trying to let go of someone that’s made it really hard,” I shrugged. I could sense the other Jedi behind me, but it wasn’t like I was going to talk to them that much. 

“How close were you to her? Hestia,” he asked, guess he knew me better than I gave him credit for. 

“Is it crazy to say that I was thinking about marrying her?” I asked.

“Not at all,” Obi-Wan shrugged. 

We made the rest of our way into the hanger completely in silence. When we made it, I wasn’t really listening. I knew the major points and that was it, Anakin and Ahsoka would be talking with the Chancellor and Masters Windu and Kenobi would be going with Bane to get the holocron. 

After it was planned that Anakin was going to go talk to the Chancellor, he started running after us, “This could be a trap Master. Are you sure you don’t need us to go?”

“Of course it’s a trap Skywalker,” Master Windu chuckled. 

“I’ll contact you when we find the kids,” I smiled at him before turning around and limping up the ramp.

I sat on one of the chairs, and a moment later the Masters, Bane, Colin and Cody came up the ramp. Bane was sat down next to me, the Masters sitting in front, with Colin and Cody standing behind. 

The ship closed up and we took off in total silence. After free floating in space for a few minutes, Master Windu turned around, “The coordinates?” 

“The coordinates are 673117 cross 7RB71,” Bane shrugged, looking out into empty space. 

“That would take us into the far outer rim. Neutral space,” I said instantly. One of the things Embo made sure that I knew were the basic maps with the far reaches of space.

“Do you want your holocrons and kids back or not?” Bane asked, looking to Master Windu and Kenobi. He was like a lightswitch with his choices. One minute he would try to make it right with someone and the next he was either ignoring them or trying to kill them. It really depended on his mood.

~*~*~

For the next hour, we were sitting in silence as we went through hyperspace. Needless to say, it was very boring. 

When we finally got out of hyperspace, there was a small station that definitely had at least a couple of traps. 

We docked onto the ship and pretty much all rose at once. Keeping my hand on one of my lightsabers, I walked out of the ship with Bane next to me. He tried to turn around and go back, but that wasn’t going to happen, “Oh no, you’re going first.” 

We walked into the next room, Cody staying behind and everyone else reaching out into the Force. 

“I don’t sense any of the children,” Colin said, his eyes tracing the room. 

“Where are you keeping the children?” Master Windu asked. 

“The children are safe,” Bane answered, full on nonchalance. 

“That doesn’t mean that they’re here,” I pointed out. 

“But first,” Bane continued, “here’s your holocron. Let me get it for you.” 

“No more of your tricks,” Colin said, pulling Bane back and grabbing the holocron, keeping his lightsaber pointed at Bane. 

But as soon as Colin grabbed the holocron, I heard the similar hum of an alarm system about to go off, “Colin wait!” 

Colin jumped back down to the floor just in time for the alarm to start blaring and floor to ceiling lasers circling the room in various angles. 

“You certainly stepped in it this time! So long, Jedi!” Bane called, slipping out of the room to who knows where. 

“Any ideas?” Colin asked, looking at me. The glare he got from his master made me want to laugh. 

“Give me a minute,” I said. I backed up a few steps, everyone staring at me, before springing forward, tumbling and jumping through the lasers. I rolled around one last laser and was now hanging on a control panel from the ceiling. 

I opened the panel and smiled, this would be way too easy. I started rewiring and in less than a minute, the lasers were off and I landed on the ground again. 

“Are you guys waiting for an invitation? Come on!” I shouted, running out of the room. But I knew Bane was long gone before I even came out to the hanger. 

“What happened?” Cody asked as we all boarded. 

“Bane got away,” Colin said as we all piled in. I slipped into the pilot seat and started taking off. The ride home was in total silence. 

When we finally came back to the Resolute, Anakin and Ahsoka were already there, Anakin holding a crying baby.

“Give him to me,” I said, holding my arms out. Anakin passed the rodian over to me and I instantly started rocking back and forth, calming him down. In about a minute, he was fast asleep. 

“Bane got away?” he asked and I nodded in return. 

“At least we have the kids and the holocron. That’s all that matters,” Master Kenobi said. My mind fell back to the other holocron, the one in the library. But I would have to visit that another time. Something told me I was going to be busy for a while. 


End file.
